Supporters Rally to Save Washington Square's Hot Dogs

Supporters held a rally yesterday for the hot dog vendors of Washington Square Park, who recently learned they'd be kicked out by the end of the month. Cathryn Swan, who organized the rally and also broke the news of the decision on her blog, claims that the real foe of the hot dog carts is the Washington Square Park Conservancy. The newly formed private group, she says, which consists of local socialites and "wealthy women" like John Leguizamo's wife, pushed the park to replace the "unsightly" carts with "new and different" options like Otto's gelato cart (Mario Batali also happens to be on the Conservancy board).

Even before the rally, having faced a week's worth of blowback, a spokesperson for the Park told the Post that it was "reconsidering" its decision. But as Jeremiah Moss points out in a brief rundown of street cart conflicts, New York has a history of hassling its hot dog vendors. Despite being an iconic part of the city, they have, as he puts it, "somehow...come to symbolize disorder, disobedience, and the untamed spirit of the city."
· The War on Weiners [JVNY]
· Hot Dog Vendors Hope to Stay in Washington Square Park [NYP]
· All Coverage of Street Carts [~ENY~]