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For wiener dog lovers, a new and exciting event is coming to Columbia this weekend.
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The first-ever SC Wienerfest is set to bring in hundreds of dog owners, and possibly more than 1,000 dachshunds to South Carolina’s capital city for a day of events, walks, food vendors and other tail-wagging activities.
SC Wienerfest was inspired by a growing movement across the country, such as the Texas Wienerfest, according to Bree Pastore, the president of Dachshunds of Columbia, the group behind this event.
A Dachshund ‘weenie walk’
Every month, Dachshunds of Columbia meet up and have a “weenie walk”, where they travel to the State House and let the dogs socialize.
“The best thing about the group is that it gets people out to be social, and most importantly, everyone in it loves wiener dogs, so everyone has a lot in common,” she said.
For the Saturday event, the get-together will be even bigger and better, Pastore said. She described it as a “mega weenie walk”.
There are five other dachshund groups in SC, located in Anderson, Greenville, the Grand Strand, Charleston and the Lowcountry. All the groups will meet in Columbia for the SC Wienerfest.
Here’s the itinerary and parking details for Saturday:
SC Weinerfest in Columbia details
The event starts at Gather Cola on Saturday, Sept. 12, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The street address is 2191 Pickens St, Columbia.
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Dachshunds and their owners will start their weenie walk at around noon, taking a short stroll in the area.
Once they finish their walk, they’ll start several contests to see which dog has the shortest legs, the longest body, and which dog can eat peanut butter the fastest. The winners’ owners will receive prize bags, Pastore said.
Some of the restaurants and food vendors at Gather Cola will have wiener dog-inspired menus in celebration of the event. Photo ops are also to be expected during the 3-hour event.
Pastore said that there are already plans in the books to have a second SC Wienerfest next year, and that Dachshunds of Columbia would like to make it a yearly tradition.
“I’d love to see it grow and let it bring more people together who love wiener dogs,” she said.
Parking options include the Freed Street Parking Garage, Sabal Street Parking Garage, metered parking on the side streets near Segra Park and the parking lot behind the REI store. All options are only a short walk to Gather Cola.
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You can RSVP to the SC Wienerfest by clicking here.