Celebration of the Slugburger

The Slugburger Festival will be held July 11-13, 2024. The event is named after the original Corinth creation. The story goes that in 1917, a resident of Corinth by the name of John Weeks started making and selling burgers from a mobile cart on bicycle wheels. Weeks wanted to save a little money on his product, so, at his request, a butcher mixed potato flakes and flour into his ground beef.

The product has evolved over the years as soybean grit now flavors the meat, and since the name slugburger tends to gross out some people, many just call them doughburgers. Whatever you call them, they are delicious. Topped with mustard, dill pickles and onions and served on a small bun, these tasty treasures are a favorite of the Corinth people.

It’s All in the Name

So, why the name slugburger? No one is certain why the name stuck. The best historians can tell, the burgers were first sold for a nickel. Back then, nickels were also called slugs. The guess is the burgers were sold for the price of a slug. Is that the real story? Maybe or maybe not. It is a great story and a great guess, nonetheless.

Why a Festival?

So why should you attend the next slugburger celebration? Because it is a staple of the southern town of Corinth and offers a lot of fun for families. It’s about more than just burgers. Anything that has lasted over 100 years deserves a festival, right?

Corinth officially established the annual Slugburger Festival in 1988. Does that sound a little wacky to you? Trip Advisor agreed and named the event one of the “Wackiest Summer Events” in America. Pretty cool, indeed.

During the event, the streets of Corinth get filled with both residents of the area and visitors from far away. We love the charming aroma of slugburgers that permeates the city.

So What’s There to Do at a Slugburger Festival?

We are glad you asked!

For starters, there are the ever-popular musical performances. This year’s musical guests have yet to be announced officially, but they will be sure to bring a good time and an entertaining show!

Another favorite musical aspect of the Slugburger Festival is Slug Idol. Yes, you guessed it. Locals display their vocal talents in order to be named the best singer in Corinth.

There are more than just music and slugburgers to be enjoyed. There is a carnival, too, which features fun rides for the family.

This year’s Slugburger Festival also includes a car show that showcases lots of souped-up rides. The cruise-in is fairly new to the festival, only in its third year - but it’s proven to be a crowd pleaser! There are five classifications in the show; modified rides, original rides, street rods, rat roads, and even motorcycles and tractors are featured. It is quite a hit with Mississippi’s car lovers.

There are also vendors among the cruise-in rides! Hometown vendors will be sprinkled around court square - you never know what you might find!

Slugburgers Are Always Available

You don’t have to wait until the annual Slugburger Festival to get your next taste of slugburgers. When visiting our classic southern town filled with civil war historical experiences, visit one of the local dining establishments that sell slugburgers throughout the year.

Borroum’s Drug Store is the oldest drug store in Mississippi. It’s is a blast from the past and a great place to try a slugburger.

Then there is the perfectly named Slug Burger Cafe. Besides slugburgers, you can get a wonderful breakfast, different sandwiches, salty french fries and yummy desserts made from scratch. You have a lot of choices, but why not try the slugburger while you are at Slug Burger Cafe?

White Trolley Cafe is a restaurant with a distinctive retro style with slugburgers to boot.

The annual Slugburger Festival is always so much fun for those who attend. The next time you #enjoycorinth, be sure to grab a slugburger or two!

For more information on this year’s Slugburger Festival, visit Main Street Corinth on Facebook, or find the event here!