Free for pups to participate, these races truly take the Tuscaloosa Oktoberfest up another notch! These dogs will zig, zag, jump, run, walk, and certainly not go the direction they’re supposed to but that’s what makes it fun. The pups will run approximately 100 feet from one end of the Dash to the other.
Managed by our friends at the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, they will oversee the Dash and will offer heats of 5 – 8 pups. Dogs in each heat will begin from a starting box that the dog will run out of. Owners will stand at the end of the course to encourage their dog to run toward them.
The Dachshund Dash is free to enter, but pre-registration will be required. There will be a small prize for each heat winner. Winners from each heat will then race for the official crown of the Dachshund Dash!
Online registration is now open! If you decide to register the day off, you MUST check in by Noon at the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter / Dachshund Dash tent.
This year, it’s the pups’ turn to shine! Tuscaloosa Oktoberfest presented by UA Online is rolling out its first-ever Dog Costume Contest, and we can’t wait to see your furry friends dressed in their finest.
Whether it’s a dachshund in lederhosen or a Great Dane in a dirndl, dogs of all sizes and breeds are welcome to join the fun!
The top dog will win a prize from The Bougie Pet Boutique, who will also have a booth filled with treats and goodies for your four-legged friends. Bring your pup, bring your creativity, and get ready for wagging tails and lots of laughs!
This is a 21 and up contest. Are you Bavarian Strong? Do you have what it takes to hoist one of our 32-ounce Oktoberfest steins for a prize? This is a competition rooted in strength that pits contestants against beer steins and asks the question, “how long can you hold the beer?”.
Set to begin at 2:15 p.m., the event will feature a men’s wave as well as a women’s wave. All participants must be over the age of 21 and the event will take place in the designated competition area on the north side of Government Plaza, in the grass area near Heat Pizza.
There is not cost to participate, but capacity is limited to 24 men and 24 women. There is limited capacity for this contest so it’s important to get your participation ticket at the merchandise tent as soon as you arrive if you’re interested in participating!
While many of our competitions will take place at specific times, we are excited to offer this game, which can be done solo or with other people, throughout the day. Look around for the wood stumps to play Hammerschlagen, a game where the participants drive nails into a wooden beam or trunk!
This game has been around since the 1920s as folk amusement. In the United States, this game is often played while consuming a drink and is associated with Oktoberfest celebrations. The goal is to drive a nail into a cross section of the wood faster than your opponents.
While we admire and love all pups, we want to try to keep this an even playing field. Only genuine, low-to-the-ground Dachshunds or Mixed Breed Doxies will be allowed to race. And we reserve the right to determine which dogs are wieners, and which dogs are not. There is a gray area – other small breeds can race; however, they must follow the same rules and not race with the dachshunds. They will compete separately in the, “Honorary Wanna Be a Doxie,” category.
You must be the registered owner of your dog to race, and you must be 18 or over to participate, or have a legal guardian present. You may be asked to show veterinary shot records for participating dogs at the registration table, but you do not have to bring copies for us – we just need to see them. Owners must clean up after their dogs and they must be always on a leash except during the race.