Many will fry, but only one will be crowned Long Island’s Wing King.
A local food influencer known as the “Dave Portnoy of Wings” for his one-bite style reviews is throwing a star-studded wing festival on Long Island this weekend — featuring celebrity cameos from the cast of “The Sopranos.”
The massive, first-of-its-kind chicken wing “Scout Fest” will shut down the streets outside of Lindenhurst sports bar The Spread from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, where festival host Ryan “Wing Scout” Bliss is holding a wing war to crown the island’s best wing makers and eaters alike.
“Long Island has some of the best wings around the country,” said Bliss, who has nearly 20,000 followers between Instagram and TikTok.
“They’re underrated,” he said of the region’s chicken wings — vowing to help put Long Island on the map of best wing destinations by showcasing the suburban kitchen masters frying them up.
Saturday’s contest to be named the island’s best wing will feature a variety of both sauced-up and dry-rubbed flats and drumsticks from over 20 different vendors — with special guest judges that include The Post’s own Long Island foodie Alex Mitchell.
“The Wing Scout brand is one of the hottest things on Long Island’s food scene — I’m stoked to be part of such a fantastic and feel-good story — wing it on!” said Mitchell, a Massapequa native who has written about Bliss and various local eats.
The judges panel will also include Mets radio personality Keith Raad, WFAN’s Shaun Morash, comedian Mike Keegan, Chef Mike of Jackson Hall and one judge only identified as Matt, a fellow wing reviewer who owns the Best Wings Long Island social media page.
Special guests, like “Sopranos” actor Joe Gannascoli, who played mobster Vito, will also be making an appearance to promote his new cookbook, “A Meal To Die For.”
Wing-lovers attending the event will have the chance to sample the same chicken wings being judged and decide which one is best themselves for no extra charge after the $45 admission fee.
For an extra $10, which gets donated to the breast cancer foundation All Boobs Matter, patrons can sign-up to take part in a wing-eating contest and be crowned the island’s wing-eating king
The festival will effectively shut down the street where The Spread is located, and feature bouncy houses, face painting stations, and an unveiling of Bliss’ new Scout Sauce — which patrons can sample and purchase as well.
“It’s going to be massive,” Bliss said.
Tickets can be purchased online at TheWingScout.com/ScoutFest.
