On the 23rd of August, thousands of canine enthusiasts came together in Vilnius’ Vingis Park for the second Corgi Race. Sixty Corgis were entered into the race, competing across seven weight categories, and it was up to those in attendance to vote for which Corgi had the best costume.
Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has continued to treat its residents and visitors to many wonderful events in celebration of its 700th anniversary year. One of the most-loved events is the Corgi Race, which returned to Vingis Park, the greenest spot in the city, for the second time.
Much loved by the late Queen Elizabeth II, the energetic corgis have also captivated the hearts of Lithuanians.
Sixty corgis, their devoted owners, and hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the dogs compete in seven weight categories. Since Vilnius always takes advantage of the opportunity to spice up any event, the corgis came dressed up in costumes and ran the race course in style.
Many of the corgis arrived in costume, dressed up as a King’s Guard, a bee, a flower, or a toast, all competing for the viewers’ vote.
The first Vilnius corgi race was organised in 2020 and was an immediate success. The idea to put the race together was born when the event organisers, both corgi owners themselves, wanted to see which of their corgis was faster.
What was supposed to be a small affair with family friends turned into a major hit among dog enthusiasts, with 40 corgis competing for the title of the fastest cheered on by a thousand spectators.
This year, the race is a symbolic one as the corgis ran the 700th-anniversary route in Vingis Park, favoured by locals for constant summertime events.
Corgi Race is a competition organised for Lithuanian Cardigan Welsh Corgis and Pembroke Welsh Corgis since 2020. The free public event was open to all canine lovers, friendly pets, and their owners.
Numerous 700th-anniversary events have taken place to reaffirm the joyful side of Vilnius. Last year’s Christmas tree was a giant birthday cake to kickstart the anniversary year, and the Pink Soup Fest, designed to honour the Lithuanian summertime dish cold beetroot soup, united thousands of the soup’s lovers who came to the festival dressed up as beetroots, cucumbers, and other ingredients of the dish.
At the same time, the events garnered considerable interest among the city guests and residents—one of the highlights of the anniversary year, the urban festival As Young As Vilnius, welcomed around 70K of spectators.
Photography by Lukas Grušeckas and Evelina Sabaliauskaitė.
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