Annual Dachshund Parade in Krakow

This Sunday the “two-dog-longs” will be lining up again for the 13th time in the Annual Dachshund Parade, an event already considered a long tradition of Krakow, no pun intended.

The event’s original organizer, Radio Krakow, is a local station of Poland’s public broadcasting company. Other event sponsors include various media, a dog food producer and, of course, its patron, Mayor of Krakow Jacek Majchrowski.

The parade begins at 11:45 near the Barbakan, where the line is to form. The pets and their owners will proceed to the market square for three contests. The biggest prize will be awarded for the dachshund in the most impressive costume. Traditionally owners decorate their pets, many disguising their dogs as dragons. The other prizes will be awarded for the best drawing of a dachshund and for a short poem.

Past contests were also dedicated to the longest dog in the parade. The award for the length contest, for years an important part of the event, presented the winning dachshund with the title of his or her “Lengthiness.” The Polish word for dachshund is “jamnik,” which translates to “burrow-dog.” The German name “Dachshund” literally means “badger-dog,” an animal these dogs were used to hunt for.

Radio Krakow expects participating guests from other regions of Poland and from abroad to join local Krakow residents. If expectation proves true, the city may become a Mecca for these lovable dogs’ admirers.