VERGAS, Minn. (KWAD)— One of Minnesota’s quirkiest and most beloved summer traditions is back! The Vergas Looney Days Wiener Dog Races return to Vergas on Saturday, August 2, bringing dozens of dachshunds—and a whole lot of laughter—to the baseball field for a morning of chaotic, crowd-pleasing fun.
Now in its 12th year, the event has become a mainstay of Looney Days, which has been celebrated in Vergas for decades. What started as a wild idea in 2013 by local organizer Digger Anderson has grown into one of the weekend’s biggest highlights.
“We wanted to try something new, and I suggested wiener dog races,” said Anderson on the Insight Wadena Podcast. “The committee thought I was crazy… but here we are, all these years later, and people can’t get enough.”
The races begin at 9 a.m. sharp at the Vergas baseball field, with registration and practice starting at 8 a.m. Admission is free for spectators, and the event regularly draws over 1,000 attendees. In fact, this year the event will feature three new sets of bleachers, each 45 feet long and 9 rows high, providing comfortable seating for over 1,200 people. Ground seating for kids is also available right next to the track.
Up to 75 dogs—some from as far away as Florida, Texas, and Nevada—are expected to compete in the 90-foot races. While most participants are dachshunds, the rules are relaxed.
“If it looks like a wiener and acts like a wiener, it’s in,” Anderson joked. “This is about fun, not pedigree.”
Each racing team must include two human crew members—one at the start line to hold the dog, and one at the finish line with a favorite treat or squeaky toy. And not every dog is in it to win it.
“Some wieners sprint. Others sniff, socialize, or stroll toward the crowd,” Anderson said with a laugh. “That’s half the fun.”
A $20 entry fee per dog—or $30 per family—covers at least two races for each pup. Food and drinks will also be available, including breakfast sandwiches from the Lions Club, fresh coffee from Otter Coffee, and Bloody Marys from Proof Artisan Distillers in Fargo.
After the races wrap up around 10:30 a.m., visitors can enjoy the rest of Looney Days, including the popular street fair with over 100 vendors just a block away.
For more information or to register your wiener dog, visit vergascommunityclub.com, search “2025 Running of the Wieners at Looney Days” on Facebook, or contact Digger Anderson at digsisme@gmail.com.