Shops vie to be whiz of 1st ever Philadelphia Cheesesteak Festival

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Whether you prefer yours 'wit or wit-out,' there will be plenty to munch on during the first ever Philadelphia Cheesesteak Festival.

Co-founders Kevin Baxter and Michael Wink tell FYI Philly as the days near for the festival, it keeps getting bigger with more and more cheesesteak shops taking part.

"We started with 40, we made a promise of 50, and now we're heading into 60," Baxter said.

The event runs October 24th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Lincoln Financial Field.

Baxter and Wink are bringing together some of the biggest names in the cheesesteak business like Geno's and Pat's.

Pat Olivieri, the founder of Pat's Steaks, is credited with inventing the cheesesteak in 1937. Current general manager Tom Francano says it's about time for a cheesesteak festival in Philly.

"All them years and this is only the first one. It all started here so why not do it," Francano said

Yes, the King of Steaks will be there and so will the Prince.

"Don't make a mistake and be fooled by a fake, I'm the true prince of steaks," Steve Iliescu of Steve's Prince of Steaks said.

And the Prince has big plans for the city's first cheesesteak festival.

"Steve's is actually building the world's largest cheesesteak," Wink said.

That cheesesteak will be 500 feet!

A 500-footer will be quite a sight and it will set a new world record, but most of the sandwiches will come a little smaller.

"We're doing the samples in a two bite portion. By doing the smaller sample sizes you get to go around, you get to try different underdog shops; there's all kinds of different things that you've never had before," Wink said.

There will be cheesesteak pierogis, empanadas and Asian style steaks along with the classics like Delassandro's, Tony Luke's and Samboni's. There will be beer vendors as well.

"Everywhere you go there's gonna be something to do," Wink said.

The event is raising money for Alex's Lemonade Stand.

Music guests at the festival include Go-Go Gadget, Stellar Mojo and Blackthorn.

"I mean if you're gonna do it, let's do it big. We have entertainment, we have carnival games, we have corn hole. Bring them all together for really what we're calling the mother of all food festivals," Baxter said.

FYI Philly airs Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and after Action News at 11.

For more information: Cheesesteakfest.com/