The 16th annual Dachshund Dash is back for another year, so limber up those chipolatas because registrations are now open. 

Taking place on Sunday, June 9 (the King’s Birthday long weekend) at Port Fairy Gardens Oval, entries are strictly capped at 100 pooches over three categories – under two-year-olds, over two-year-olds, and veterans – over eight years old. 

Each dog must be accompanied by two handlers, one to release the hound and one to catch it at the finish line. Each division will have a maximum of five heats of 10 contenders.

To keep things classy, any dog on heat is not permitted to attend or participate in the event and will be disqualified if put into a race.

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The annual celebration of chaos is part of the Port Fairy Winter Weekends campaign, designed to encourage visitors to the historic area over winter.

Around 50 far less chaotic events take over the town of Port Fairy across the extra-long weekend, including art exhibitions honouring nature’s overwintering ritual, adorable fairy hunting events for the kids (ok, and the grown-ups), a knitting workshop to provide jumpers for the community’s most vulnerable, and park runs to see the sights and up your beats per minute.

Mark your calendars for the community markets where you can stock up on local produce, wine, candles and snacks, and be sure to head to the Winter Weekends opening party in the Goods Shed where food trucks, bars, live bands and DJs will be welcoming winter with open arms.

Port Fairy Winter Weekends runs June 7-11 at various locations across Port Fairy, Victoria. Check out the full event calendar at the Winter Weekends website.

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