Every October, the west end of River Street hosts the most competitive event on the Savannah calendar, and the athletes are all under 25 pounds.

Oktoberfest at Plant Riverside District has essentially become a Savannah tradition, with the stars being the Savannah Wiener Dog Races. If you’ve never watched a pack of dachshunds launch down a track toward a person holding a treat, you’re missing the purest form of competition left in sports. No contracts, no agents, no press conferences. Just short legs and total conviction. Some dogs run a perfect line. Some stop to reconsider their life choices. One always veers off to introduce himself to a stranger. All of them win the crowd’s hearts.

The rest of the festival holds up its end. Bratwurst, soft pretzels the size of a steering wheel, cold seasonal beer, and a Riverwalk stage doing its best oompah. Costumes are encouraged, and a dachshund dressed as a hot dog is a joke that has never once failed.

The setting is tough to beat. Mother nature is finally loosening her grip. Humidity appears to be on the roll out. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year in my book. A brat in one hand, a cold beer in the other, and the Savannah River rolling by is a very great spot to be.

See the full line up here

The races are Saturday, October 10 at 11:00am. If you want a good view? Get there early. Bring a camera. Here’s the rest of the Oktoberfest calendar at Plant Riverside.

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