Standing 24 hot dogs tall and 60 hot dogs long, the iconic Oscar Mayer’s Wienermobile is hard to miss during a recent stop at the Valley Junction Farmers’ Market in West Des Moines.
Kids and adults alike were gathered outside to do a ring toss while competing for an iconic prize: A tiny, hot-dog-shaped whistle.
The Wienermobile touring through Iowa recently is one of six, and part of a tradition that has lived on for the last 38 years.
What does it take to be a hotdogger in the Wienermobile?
The Wienermobiles are manned by “hotdoggers” who travel across different regions of the United States advertising Oscar Mayer and bringing smiles to each city. The hotdoggers typically stay around a metro area anywhere from four days to a week.
To be a driver, candidates must pass a two-week training course called Hotdog High. The current class driving around the country is the 38th group. The hotdoggers consist of college seniors and post-graduate students, many of whom are in marketing.
What is the Wienermobile made of?
Both the hot dog and the bun are made out of fiberglass. On the inside, there is a ketchup walkway with what looks like spilled mustard on the condiment carpet.
There are six ketchup and mustard colored seats with a gull-wing door and automatic retractable steps. The entire hot dog vehicle weighs 14,050 pounds, or 140,500 hot dogs.
What’s the Wienermobile’s schedule in Iowa?
You can track the Wienermobile’s journey across the country on Oscar Mayer’s website. The Wienermobile is visiting the Norwalk Music Fest from 2:30-8:30 p.m. on Sept. 13. It will then go to Knoxville from noon to 6 p.m. on Sept. 14.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Oscar Mayer’s Wienermobile rolls through Iowa. See inside.