Wingfest co-founder Tim Sewell (right) and co-host Todd Burlingame show off their collection of chicken hats. Sewell's hat sold for $10,000 at last year's Wingfest. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo |
Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services
As far as Yellowknifers are concerned, the only answer that could apply to this eternal question is that they went to the Joe McCaw Wingfest at Sam's Monkey Tree.
Now in its fourth year, event organizers are hoping to raise even more money for charity than they did last year when Wingfest resumes next Sunday.
"There's doctors on stand-by for heart attacks and cholesterol plugging," jokes Wingfest co-founder Tim Sewell, referring to the nearly four thousand grease-laden chicken wings expected to be served at this year's event.
According to Sewell, Yellowknife's largest annual charity event -- it raised $36,000 for the Learning Centre last year -- started innocently enough with a little backyard debate over whom made the best BBQ sauce.
"I had the best BBQ sauce in the world, but he was saying his was the best," says Sewell, recalling his argument with fellow Wingfest co-founder and event namesake Joe McCaw, who passed away two years ago.
"So to prevent us from scrapping in the backyard, we decided it would be best to turn it into a charity event."
Of course, old rivalries may fade away, but there are always room for new ones.
Part of Wingfest's success, is the pride exhibited by the event's sponsors. Primarily made up of members from oil and gas, construction, and the mining industry, the different factions make a point of trying to outbid each other every year.
Sewell points to his "chicken hat" as evidence of the fierce competition involved.
Last year, Sewell auctioned off his yellow-feathered, paper mache construction for $10,000 to a representative from Enbridge Pipelines.
After three years, he still has the hat.
"It's one of those things you aren't sure you want to bring back to the office after spending $10,000 dollars on it," Sewell explains.
Besides hat auctions, money will be raised through T-shirt sales, and a game that involves a live chicken and a novelty sized bingo card.
"The first square the chicken craps on wins," Sewell says.
