Hot-dog festival seeks to make Niles, Valley wild about Harry

Staff Report

NILES

Stevens Park on Hughes Street Southeast in Niles pays homage to Harry Stevens, but few other displays or monuments in the city honor his legacy.

The Harry Stevens Hot Dog Day committee is hoping to change some of that.

The committee is planning a day this summer to commemorate Stevens and his contributions to American culture.

“I really didn’t know much about Harry growing up,” said Dori MacMillan, a third-generation Niles resident who is helping out for the June 30 event at Pine Alley in Niles.

“His creations make me proud to be from Niles.”

About 15 committee members gathered at the Stoneyard Grill and Tavernon Thursday night to discuss Stevens and how to best carry on his legacy.

“He’s really done so much that we need to bring his name back and be proud of his accomplishments,” said MacMillan.

The committee plans on having a cornhole tournament, best-dressed dog competition, music and plenty of hot dogs.

Richard Ale, a lifelong Niles resident, said the city used to have a Harry Stevens festival in the 1950s, but it hasn’t done anything since. He’s hoping the new festival will spark interest in the Niles resident.

“Generations have passed by without knowing who this guy is,” said Ale. “I bet eight out of ten people on the street don’t know what he did. We need to bring his name back into the city’s memory.”

Residents looking to participate in the Harry Stevens Hot Dog Day Festival can email Kristenne.robison@gmail.com