Ziggy’s Island Market, a popular gas station / convenience store / kitchen and tavern on St. Croix’s east end, hosted its 8th Annual Johnny Cake Eating Contest on Sunday. An impressive crowd gathered to watch kids, women and men compete for coveted trophies.
The event included several food vendors, including Misfit Island Munchies. There was live music from Ziggy’s Bigfoot featuring Steve Katz and Sylvia Kirk. The event is a benefit for the Boys & Girls Club of the Virgin Islands and the St. Croix Foundation. Fundraising efforts included competitor entry fees, a raffle drawing and portions of proceeds from participating vendors, like Bottles Reimagined.
The Boys and Girls Club of the Virgin Islands seeks to engage underprivileged youth with positive, productive activities in their spare time. They operate a facility in Christiansted that is open after school and on weekends.
2017 Johnny Cake Eating Championship Winners
- Men: Brian Yaegar (12 johnny cakes)
- Women: Beth Basinski (5 cakes)
- Children: Peyton Schindler (4 1/2 cakes)
A total of 15 contestants entered the competition this year, each making a donation to the aforementioned charities to participate. All walked away with a t-shirt, while the winners took home trophies and credit for one johnny cake from Ziggy’s every day of this year. Brian Yaegar, who won the men’s division, repeated his victory from 2014. Children’s winner, Peyton Schindler, is the sister of 2015 winner Brielle Schindler.
Ziggy’s Island Market is owned and operated by brothers Mike and Richard Ziegler and opened in September 2009.
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