Huntington Beach, California: Dachshund Races

The races are held every Sunday through spring and summer. The dog owners are friendly, the beer is strong and nothing under the sun is as patently hilarious as eager dachshunds scrambling down knee-high racing chutes toward the finish line.

Throughout the year, Old World German Village sponsors a variety of interesting festivals and events along its cobblestone lanes. The most curious are the Dachshund Races. They have them all through October during Oktoberfest, but they also pop up throughout the year. It's amazing to watch the owners of the dogs go through the rituals of the race and to see how fast these little critters get going.

The dog and one of its owners begin at the starting line, psyching up the dog -- then the whistle sounds and they're off! The dogs race two or three at a time down a dachshund drag strip to the other owner for a reward of a squeaky toy or a little taste of some old world German cuisine. Plenty of beer and brats are also available for the human types.