You could argue there is nothing more American than a hotdog and a slice of watermelon.

Or, if you really want to be patriotic, 16 hotdogs and eight slices of watermelon.

For the second year in a row, organizers for Thunder on the Hooch will host hot dog and watermelon eating contests for adults and kids.

For the hot dog contest, eaters will have 12 minutes to put away as many Nathan’s Famous hot dogs as they can. For the watermelon contest, the time limit is two minutes.

“Just show up and sign up,” said Bethany Culbreth, special projects coordinator for WTVM. “Every man, woman and child can enter.”

Contestants must eat the hot dog and the bun, but they don’t have to eat them together, said Otto Perryman, owner of the City Market, which provides the hot dogs. Perryman said they usually have about 10 to 12 contestants and last year’s winner ate 16 dogs in all.

“I think some people just want to see if they can,” he said. City Market’s official counters stop at 25, but Perryman said they are willing to keep counting, if you can eat that many hot dogs.

For those willing to undertake this chow down challenge, Perryman and Culbreth have a few words of advice.

“I would say don’t start off too fast,” Culbreth said. “Keep time so you can finish strong.”

“I’ve noticed at the hot dog contest at Coney Island, they dip the buns in water, so they’re not so dry and they’re able to eat them quicker,” Perryman said, adding that they would provide water for anyone that wanted to try the Coney Island method.

Or take the advice of Donny Troutman -- train. Troutman, the director of food and beverage for the Cannon Restaurant, created the Turning Blue Burger for the downtown restaurant’s menu about a year ago. Consuming this sandwich platter sounds like it would be excellent training for any eating contest -- three burger patties, three slices of Cheddar cheese, three slice of Swiss cheese, eight slices of apple-smoked bacon, jalapenos, sauteed mushrooms, fried beer onions, chipotle barbecue sauce, lettuce and tomato, served with chili cheese fries. Finish it all in 30 minutes and it’s free, plus you get a special Turning Blue T-shirt, not available for purchase.

The sandwich is named after the “turning blue” ceremony Fort Benning soldiers go through before they graduate from basic training, when they receive a blue Infantry cord to attach to their uniform. “But it’s also a double pun,” Troutman said.

The restaurant serves at least one every day and about 40 percent of customers finish them in under 30 minutes, he said.

“We’ve had all walks of life,” he said. “Believe it or not, the guys that are the biggest can’t always finish. The ones that have the most luck are the guys that are normal size.”

Though Troutman created the burger, he has not finished it himself. He’s made it down to one patty. “Then you kind of hate yourself,” he said.

For customers who can’t tackle the burger on the first try, Troutman suggests they come back. Some eaters have success on their second attempt. Eating fast also helps, he said.

“Eat quickly before your head catches up with your stomach,” he said.

If you feel sick, it’s best to stop, he said, though the restaurant does have a “blue” bucket for emergencies.

Perryman said organizers are prepared if hot dog contest participants get sick as well -- but it will take you out of the running.

“The only real way to get disqualified is -- what do they call it? A return of fortune,” said Perryman, who prefers his hotdogs with mustard and onions. “You just gotta keep them down.”

Contact Sara Pauff at 706-320-4469