When is National Hot Dog Day?
National Hot Dog Day 2027 is on Wednesday
Wednesday, July 21, 2027
The third Wednesday in July. That's in 290 days.
until National Hot Dog Day begins, in your time zone
National Hot Dog Day celebrates the hot dog, a German-American sausage-in-a-bun that became a ballpark and backyard staple. The meat industry's National Hot Dog and Sausage Council sets it in the middle of National Hot Dog Month.
About National Hot Dog Day
National Hot Dog Day is a summer salute to the hot dog in all its regional styles, from Chicago dogs piled with toppings to chili dogs and simple franks with mustard. It falls during July, which the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council promotes as National Hot Dog Month because it is peak grilling season and the month of Independence Day.
The council, a project of the North American Meat Institute, was set up in 1994 by the American Meat Institute to answer consumer and media questions about hot dogs and sausages. It names the third Wednesday in July as National Hot Dog Day. In a 2013 post, the Meat Institute said it and the council had kept that Wednesday for at least 20 years, tied to its annual hot dog lunch on Capitol Hill.
The same post admitted the date causes confusion. Many stores, teams and media outlets mark the day on a fixed date instead, most often July 23 and sometimes July 22 or 20. The council's theory is that the fixed date caught on in a year when the third Wednesday happened to land on July 23. The council's own date remains the third Wednesday, though it says it is happy for people to celebrate on any of them.
The council's history notes that sausages are among the oldest processed foods and that both Frankfurt and Vienna claim the frankfurter. German immigrants brought the sausage-and-bread habit to the US, where a German baker named Charles Feltman opened a Coney Island stand in 1871, and the term hot dog was current at Yale by 1894.
Sources: National Hot Dog and Sausage Council: National Hot Dog Month Planning Guide, North American Meat Institute: Is Today National Hot Dog Day? A Look at the Hot Dog Day Mystery (2013, archived), National Hot Dog and Sausage Council: Hot Dog History. How we check dates.
How to mark National Hot Dog Day
- Grill hot dogs and try a regional style you've never had, such as a Chicago dog, a Sonoran dog or a slaw-topped Carolina dog.
- Buy sausages or franks from a local butcher or smokehouse and taste the difference.
- Set up a toppings bar with homemade relish, quick-pickled onions and a few mustards.
- Make a plant-based version so everyone at the cookout can join in.
- Read up on the competing stories about the hot dog bun and the name hot dog, and test them on your guests.
National Hot Dog Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Wednesday, July 16, 2025 |
| 2026 | Wednesday, July 15, 2026 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, July 21, 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, July 19, 2028 |
| 2029 | Wednesday, July 18, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, July 17, 2030 |
| 2031 | Wednesday, July 16, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is National Hot Dog Day 2027?
National Hot Dog Day 2027 is on Wednesday, July 21, 2027. It falls on the third Wednesday in July. In 2028, it is on Wednesday, July 19, 2028.
Why do some calendars say National Hot Dog Day is July 23?
Some retailers and media use a fixed date, most often July 23. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, which promotes the day, uses the third Wednesday in July and thinks the fixed date stuck after a year when that Wednesday fell on July 23.
Is July National Hot Dog Month?
Yes. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council promotes July as National Hot Dog Month, timed to grilling season and Independence Day.
Is National Hot Dog Day a public holiday?
No. National Hot Dog Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.