Volunteers in Illinois grill 100-foot-long bratwurst

How many people does it take to grill 100-foot bratwurst without burning or breaking it? Fifty people, according to a practice run held Tuesday to prepare for an upcoming festival in Illinois.

"They did good; they did real good," said Bob Fritz, of the Robert "Chick" Fritz beer distributor company. "There were no erratic movements."

The practice run at Silver Creek Saloon was in preparation for an attempt to grill a 200-foot-long bratwurst at the city's 200th anniversary celebration next week.

The Bicentennial Oktoberfest Weekend Celebration is set to be held Sept. 19-21 in downtown Belleville.

The bratwurst was made with natural casing -- interlocked, not sewn together -- and a 100 percent, gluten-free, lean pork, said Larry Schubert, of Schubert's Packing Co., according to the Belleville News-Democrat.

Schubert made the 60-pound sausage and he will also make the 200-foot brat to be grilled at 11 a.m. Sept. 21 on North Church Street by East Main Street.

Donations will be collected from people who want to eat a piece of the bratwurst. Proceeds will benefit local food pantries.