HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – Wing aficionados are set to converge on downtown Huntsville to cook and enjoy 10,000 pounds of chicken wings over the weekend.

The 14th annual Battle of the Buffalo Wing Festival kicks off this Saturday at Big Spring Park.

Local restaurants, chefs, and amateur cooks will prepare their tastiest wings in an effort to be crowned Best of the Tennessee Valley. You can expect live music, games, a 5K run, and a whole lot of food.

“We’ll have fun events for families to come out and enjoy a beautiful day in the park for a great cause,” said Battle of the Buffalo Director Ethan Fuller.

The event benefits cancer research and provides support to cancer patients with proceeds going to the Russel Hill Cancer Foundation and the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

“It all started back in 2007,” said Battle of the Buffalo Deputy Director Grant Hershbine. “We lost a beloved brother to cancer, and so we wanted to give back. Paul’s favorite food was chicken wings, so it was just a natural choice to have a chicken wing festival in his honor, and Battle of the Buffalo started two years after his passing.”

Over the years, the festival has raised more than $275,000 dollars for cancer research, treatment, and to provide financial support to terminally-ill patients in the form of transportation, prescription assistance and other critical needs.

The event’s 10,000 wings were Alabama-raised and donated by Wayne-Sanderson Farms.

The Salmon Run 5K, named in remembrance of Paul Fish Salmon who passed away after battling cancer for several years, begins at 9:00 am on Saturday. You can view the route for the run here.

The festival opens to the public at noon and runs until 5:00 pm. Tickets are $15 and include 16 wings and a drink, as well as access to the event’s activities. You can pre-purchase your tickets here.