In an attempt to recreate the magic of Coney Island's 92-year-old tradition, kosher frat Alpha Epsilon Pi hosted a hot dog eating contest that was a real sausage fest. In fact, that's what they called it: "Sausage Fest." Justin Vlasits filed some photos and an account of what went down.

AEPi's hot dog eating contest began with a hail of smack-talking, much of it from AEPi junior Michael Drabkin. Freshman Kevin Elder, however, took it up a notch with a self-designed T-shirt proclaiming "Joey Chestnut Who?" referring to this year's Nathan's world champion who scarfed down 67 dogs on the way to a new world record.

At the last minute, Sausage Fest mastermind Aaron Goldman (right) entered the fray, deciding a showdown with only three contestants would be worse than the stomachache he'd get from several quickly devoured hot dogs plus his recently consumed lunch -- a Spicy Special.

Armin Rosen reports on the weirdest place in New York's w eirdest event: yesterday's Mermaid Parade in Coney Island.

Many a bare breast was on display at the 25th (and perhaps last) edition of the Mermaid Parade, Coney Island's annual, nautically-themed celebration of the campy, t opless and strange. Indeed, Sodom by the Sea earned its permissive nickname yesterday, as legions of mostly-naked revelers in often-dazzling homemade mermaid costumes caroused their way down Surf Avenue, much to the delight of the thousands of sun and alcohol-drunk onlookers taking in one of New York's more idiosyncratic summer traditions. Since this is a family Bwog, we're obligated to say that there was more to the parade than artfully decorated mermaid mammary. Which is true, we suppose--after all, the parade is proof that when freaks and eccentrics, as well as normals of a freakish, eccentric bent have enough time on their hands the results can be spectacular. So here's our best of the parade--photos and such after the jump.

Hey you, with the pallid skin! You could wait for Columbia to bring the sunshine to you with a cheesy Coney Island-themed event. Or you could go hang out at the real thing, as Bwog did one lovely Friday afternoon. Brighton Beach welcomes thousands of urban refugees every summer with miles of umbrella-freckled sand and a calm surf that washes away stress and the sweat of the city.

Of course, Brooklyn's south shore offers much more than a place to tan your hide. Coney Island itself is worth at least look-see during your time at Columbia, offering a bunch of free concerts and a touch of the bizarre. Plus, the neighborhood Brighton Beach contains possibly the best little Russia this side of the Ural mountains--you really owe it to yourself to throw down a towel and soak in the rich confluence of Slavic and Brooklyn accents as you slurp a fudgsicle.

If you go: Pack your sunscreen and take the 1 downtown to 42nd street, where you'll transfer to the Brooklyn-bound (not Queens-bound) Q. Get off at Brighton Beach and follow signs to the boardwalk. Coney Island is farther west.