It's Wing Time in Springfield

Cash and pride are on the line at Springfield Sertoma's Wingapalooza 2007.

Wingapalooza features almost two dozen local restaurants, each with its own variety of saucy concoctions, vying for awards from both celebrity judges and you, the wing-eating public. Wingapalooza, now in its seventh year, is the Springfield carnivore’s chance to taste the best of the best, and have a hand in making some restaurant owner very, very happy by voting in the coveted People’s Choice award (this year sponsored by GO Magazine).

For the last six years, according to Wingapalooza organizer Ken Childers, that happy restaurant owner has been Dave Bauer of Coyote’s Adobe Café. Maybe it’s sheer volume: Bauer estimates he gives away 800 pounds of wings in five hours. However, last year saw Coyote’s first significant People’s Choice challenge in the form of a new kid on the block, Big Whiskey’s.

Big Whiskey’s owner Paul Sundy proudly displays the Judges’ Choice plaque he won in his downtown bar/restaurant, and says he only lost the People’s Choice race by nine votes. Sundy says he’s gunning (good-naturedly) for Bauer and People’s Choice—and he’s breaking out a couple of new sauces to do it. Of his new buffalo sauce, Sundy says you could “dip cardboard in it and it would taste good.”

Bauer says he knows, one of these years, Coyote’s will get bumped off. But he’ll still be there with all 23 of his flavors, fighting for your vote. “I’m not making a concession speech,” he says. “I place a lot of pride on this, and so does my staff.”

In addition to the people’s vote, judges—chefs and students from OTC’s culinary school—will choose their favorite among battered and non-battered wings, as well as best booth design.

Who's Your Favorite?

Local wing purveyors participating in Wingapalooza (as of press time).
Bailey's American Grill, Big Whiskey's, Buckingham's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cartoons, Classic's Sports Bar & Grill, Coyote's Adobe Café, Domino's Pizza, Fox & Hound, Galloway Station, Hooters, Indigo Joe's, Jambalaya Junction, Logan's Roadhouse, Longhorn Grill, Popeye's, Price Cutter Deli, Summers at the River, Texas Roadhouse

GO Magazine's Wing Hero

Matt Moldenhauer: If he eats wings like he eats sushi, we're gonna win!

One of the most highly anticipated parts of Wingapalooza is the wing-eating contest, where Springfield’s most steel-tongued tasters go head-to-head for up to $75 in cash and the title of champion wing-eater. This year, GO selected a reader to represent the magazine (after all, we have to work the next day).

Meet Matt Moldenhauer (right). Nominated by his girlfriend, Andie Johnson, Matt has an unconventional way of eating wings, Andie says, first sucking the sauce off “in about three seconds” and then devouring the drummie. And it really is all about speed: The object is to eat 12 wings—one of which is super hot—in the shortest amount of time. The contest, with two preliminary heats and a final round featuring four contestants, will take place between live music sets throughout the evening, with the winner crowned at the end of the night. Come cheer Matt on!