Wing lovers of all flavors will gather this Saturday to partake in a plethora of saucy and savory chicken wings at the first annual Baton Rouge Wing-A-Thon.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Baton Rouge River Center will host a marathon of wings from 16 restaurants, including Buffalo Wild Wings and The Table is Bread.
Jessi Mapes, marketing manager of the Baton Rouge River Center, said the event, presented by radio station Eagle 98.1, will feature the best wings in the city along with live music by Prime Mates.
“Everyone loves a good wing. These events take off all over the country, so we thought Baton Rouge needed one,” Mapes said.
The BRRC will provide the wings for the vendors and leave them for the vendors to season and sauce. The vendors will be given full creative control over the flavor and texture of their wings to represent the competitor’s individual styles.
Patrons will vote for the best wings in three categories: favorite wings, hottest wings and most unique wings. The winners will be announced during the last hour of the show and will receive a trophy representing their success. The victors will hold their trophies until next year’s wing competition.
The wing enthusiasts in attendance can participate in events where they can win “wing swag.” The poultry connoisseurs have the opportunity to go bobbing for wings in ranch dressing. There is also a hot wing eating contest where patrons from the crowd will compete against each other by eating hot wings and resisting the urge to drink from the glass of milk placed in front of them for the longest time possible.
There will also be a separate wing eating contest hosted by four radio stations, including Eagle 98.1, which will have its own teams attempting to eat the most wings.
For children, there will be a designated play area with inflatables and other games provided by 225 Inflatables. Adults will have a wide variety of beers to choose from to accompany their wing expedition.
“We’re excited to create an annual food event for the Baton Rouge area incorporating the people of the city,” Mapes said.
Mapes is hoping the Wing-A-Thon crowd comes close to 2,500 people, though the event is in its first year. She described the event as a “win-win situation” because there will either be a large amount of people or a large amount of wings for those who do attend.
The vendors will be scattered around the arena along with eating tables, the stage for the band and a stage for the food competitions.
Matt Reed, chef at The Pelican House Tap Room and Whiskey Bar, said they have put days of thought and preparation into the presentation and flavor of their wings. The Pelican House’s staff used a method known as food chemistry to balance the flavors used in their competition wings. Food chemistry studies the interactions between the biological and non-biological components of food.
“The Pelican House will be providing a brand new flavor of wings when we arrive, and we expect to leave with a win,” Reed said.
Tickets for Wing-A-Thon are $20 for adult general admission and $35 for V.I.P. Children’s tickets for ages six through 12 are $7 and all kids younger than the age of six get in for free. All tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or at the door.
“We’re excited to create an annual food event for the Baton Rouge area incorporating the people of the city.”

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Charles Champagne

The 1st Annual Louisiana Wing-a-thon is held Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the Baton Rouge River Center.