Villabate Cannoli Eating Contest Slated For 18th Avenue’s Columbus Day Festival

Brooklyn’s first cannoli eating contest will take place on October 11 at Bensonhurst’s Columbus Day festival, where competitive eaters will shove as many of the cream-packed cookie shells into their faceholes as they can in six minutes.

And competitive eaters are in luck, with provisions for the contest being supplied by the best cannoli maker Bensonhurst has to offer: Villabate Alba at 7001 18th Avenue.

The contest, sanctioned by Major League Eating, the governing body that oversees Nathan’s Famous’ hot dog eating contest, will take place during the festival down the block at Italian-American community center Il Centro, at 18th Avenue and Benson Avenue.

The record – yes, there’s a record – to beat is 34 cannolis in six minutes, set earlier this year by Marcos Owens.

The Daily News reports on the competition:

Former cannoli champ Tim (Eater X) Janus plans to square off against gastro stars Badlands Booker and Crazy Legs Conti for the $1,000 prize.

But the sprint-like nature of a 360-second eat-a-thon could open the door for unknown challengers, he admitted.

“These shorter contests are more about speed, so there’s more of a chance for an upset,” said Janus, 35, who currently holds the tiramisu title. “It’s a little unnerving.”

Whatever. I’m going to Villabate later and paying for one (okay, four) cannolis. Because who can look at these photos and not?