The chicken wing-eating population will turn its attention to the birthplace of the popular fried food this weekend as the annual Buffalo Wing Festival kicks off once again at Coca-Cola Field.

The draw of visitors from all over the country will mix with those local companies looking to prove they’re the best of the best in cooking up the spicy treats.

According to festival founder Drew Cerza, the event drew guests from 49 states and 30 countries last year. Arkansas was the only no-show from the U.S. A record crowd of 91,000 people consumed more than 37 tons of wings. In the nine-year history of the festival, more than 500,000 people have attended and polished off 2.9 million wings.

“The National Buffalo Wing Festival continues to draw hungry visitors from around the world to celebrate Buffalo’s most famous food – the chicken wing,” said Dottie Gallagher-Cohen, the CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“As guests explore Buffalo, after visiting the festival, they find that wings are only the start of what’s exciting about our city.”

For this year’s festival, Cerza has ordered 90,000 pounds of wings, which will take three tractor trailers to haul from Sanderson Farms in Laurel Miss. Cerza also ordered 23,000 pounds of frying oil.

Featured in this year’s restaurant competition will be Cheektowaga companies Jack Astors Bar and Grill (third year) and first-time competitor Paddy’s Pizza.

The festival will also include the annual Buffalo Blue Cheese Bowl, the Miss Buffalo Wing Pageant and the Baby Wing Pageant.

The highlight will be the appearance of world competitive eating champion Joey Chestnut, who will eat his fill of wings in contests each day. Chestnut will battle festival attendees and a group of sports media at 3 p.m. Saturday then take on U.S. chicken wing eating champion Sonya Thomas at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The Festival will run from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $5 for adults. Children 8 and under are admitted free.

e-mail: mkrueger@beenews.com