Celebrating hot dog days of summer

COSTA MESA — Jeff Abbit has donned some remarkable garb in his time as a performer at the Orange County Market Place: a leprechaun suit on St. Patrick’s Day, a pompadour and shades during the Elvis Fest. Saturday, the Irvine resident got to be a hot dog in the fullest sense of the word.

Abbit, who sometimes bills himself as Abbit the Average, took on the persona of Frank Furter as the swap meet celebrated National Hot Dog Month. With hundreds of families in line for $1 hot dogs, the magician created balloon dachshunds, rattled off a series of condiment-related puns (“I’m trying to ketchup with all these people”) and, in general, braved the July heat for three hours in a body-length, Polyfoam hot dog costume.

“I’m an extra hot dog,” Abbit said during a momentary break, adding that he planned to stay outside “until I have grill marks on me.”

Heat aside, the swap meet was a festive place Saturday, as the Orange County Market Place celebrated its last weekend before the OC Fair begins Friday. In addition to cheap hot dogs, vendors provided free bags of popcorn and inflatable rides to see their loyal customers off in style for the next month.

“It’s our way of doing one big send-off for all our great customers before the annual fair, and we thought, what better way to do it than by celebrating National Hot Dog Month?” said Jeff Teller, the marketplace’s president.

(For those wondering: Yes, there is such a thing as National Hot Dog Month — at least according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, which claims the U.S. Chamber of Commerce declared the holiday in 1957. And yes, there really is a National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, too.)

While patrons lined up for franks, hundreds of others milled around the booths to get some last-minute shopping done before the fair. Bret and Linda Carter, who live in Fullerton and went bathing-suit buying Saturday, said they venture to the swap meet every weekend. They added that they would continue making the drive throughout the summer.

“Most of the vendors we see will be at the fair, so we’ll stop in and talk to them,” Linda Carter said.

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at [email protected].