Prussian and German statesman Otto von Bismarck famously gabbed, “Laws are like sausages. It’s better not to see them being made.”

Now you’re probably asking something like, “What are you talking about Graffiti?” To which we would respond, “You try writing an interesting lede about hot dogs.”

That being said, let’s all give it up for the Fourth Annual West Virginia Hot Dog Festival held this year at Pullman Square in Huntington. On July 28, people from all around came to take pride in America’s No. 1 thing to put on a bun, the hot dog. The festival shared in many hot dog related events including a pooch parade, wiener dog races, a hot dog eating contest, root beer chugging (my goodness, the carbonation!) a bun stacking contest and loads of other entertainment.

The illustrious brainchild of John Mandt Jr., of Stewarts Original Hot Dogs, Mandt teamed up with Clear Channel Radio Group in order to make his goal of an annual festival for the hot dog. In its first year on July 30, 2005, the West Virginia Hot Dog Festival raked in nearly $8,000 for charity. This year, all proceeds went to the children’s cancer unit at the Edwards’ Comprehensive Cancer Center.

From the motorcycle show and charity ride to the owner-dog look alike contest and the harmonica championship, the West Virginia Hot Dog Festival rolled onto Pullman Square and into the record books. Here’s to year five and more root beer chuggin’!

On a side note, Huntington should be commended due to the record finish at the festival’s Bun Run 5K race with 350 finishers. However, if I had hot dogs available at the end of my 5K race, I’d want to finish too.

Move over Battle of the Bands, welcome Battle of the Books

There are winds of change fluttering through the black lettering of paperbacks and hardcovers in Huntington — the Battle of the Books is upon us.

July 28 and 29 will forever live in infamy for the contestants of 2008’s Battle of the Books. Armed to the glasses with knowledge and itching to get into the battle, 15 teams of 8 kids each will fire answers out as they ripple through the musty air of the Capell County Public Library.

Part of the library’s “Catch the Reading Bug” summer program, the Battle of the Books will pit team against team as questions are asked about book and author, with 10 questions asked with 30 seconds to answer each question. Five points are awarded for answering the question with the book and author, three if just the book and zero points if only the author

Library officials are excited about the program and commented on how the children are reading nearly 10 books a piece as well as meeting to review the material in hopes of finishing first.

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Contact Ben at bspanner@graffitiwv.com