CHICAGO WINGFEST 2017

Sunday, March 5,  marked the 17th iteration of Chicago WingFest. The event, held at UIC Pavilion, featured 30 chicken wings from 30 Chicago and Chicagoland restaurants. The wings, judged by festival goers and a few selected Chicago celebs are rated by four categories of chicken wings: Mild, Hot, BBQ & Exotic, as well as the additional Best In Fest and Rookie of the Year categories. 

The 2017 Winners Include: 

Best In Fest and Rookie of the Year: Half Day Brewing

Hot: 

1. Half Day Brewing 
2. Output Lounge
3. River Forest Catering & Howells & Hood (tie) 

Mild: 

1. Paisans Pizzeria
2. Son of a Butcher
3. Gators Wing Shack

Exotic: 

1. Paisans Pizzeria
2. Estrella Negra
3. Howells & Hood 

BBQ: 

1. Whisk
2. 10 Pin Blowing Lounge
3. Q's Tips & Wings 

Chicago WingFest also includes wing eating competitions. The winner of Lady of the Wings is four-year champion, Katrina Fraley. Her technique of ripping the meat from the bone before gobbling and repeating wowed the crowd. 

Lord of the Wings winner Ben Conboy posed triumphantly after dominating the competition.  

My 5 Chicago WingFest Takeaways: 

1. Breaded wings fill up your tummy. Give them to me naked and sauced! 

2. Come prepared. 

3. Don't wear white. Unless of course you're going for a saucy look. 

4. Know your heat tolerance. 

5. While chicken wings are amazing, it may be possible to eat too many!