Editor's Note - Jun '10

Editing the calendar for this issue of Lee Magazine, I was once again amazed at the choices we have in Lee County. We have Elvis impersonators (June 22, 7 p.m., at Opelika Municipal Park), a Neil Diamond tribute artist (June 1, 7 p.m., Opelika Muni Park), Soviet propaganda posters (June 5 through August 14, June Collin Smith Museum) and Welcome Home celebrations (all day July 17, Opelika). There are art shows, farmers markets, and learned lectures. Then there are all the unscheduled pleasures of summer like early mornings in the garden, walking the dog after sunset, grilling in the backyard, and writing poems about plutonium.

OK, just kidding about plutonium. The heat’s getting to me.

But I confess, one event in the calendar this issue stood out above all others for its zaniness, for its do-not-miss silliness, and for its winning inventiveness and that’s the Second Annual Doxie Palooza at Kiesel Park June 19 at 11 a.m.

Andrea Jackson, an accountant for the city of Auburn, created Doxie Palooza last year after visiting the Doxie Races in Montgomery when her two-year-old dachshund, Piper, was just a pup.

“It was just so much fun I said, that sounds like something we can do here.”

If we play our cards right, Alabama could become the Dachshund Capital of America. Think about it.

So last year Jackson arranged to use Kiesel Park, hung some posters around town, and held her breath. The morning of her first Doxie Palooza, “I thought, we’re going to get out there and there will be three dachshunds.” But when she, husband David McAllister and son Jonathan Shoff showed up an hour early to set things up, a man and his dachshund were already there waiting. It was a sign.

Before the dog show began, fifty dachshunds scampered around Kiesel Park.

Dachshund owners can find the registration form for the free event online at doxiepalooza.net and they can also fill out the registration on the day of the event. Dogs can come in costume or appear “bare naked.” Jackson is no snob. Dachshund mixes are also welcome to Doxie Palooza and are full participants. The show is followed by the dachshund dash, a series of heats to establish the champion wiener dog.

I grew up with dachshunds. I can’t imagine one of ours running in a straight line or caring about winning.

“They don’t,” Jackson says. “It’s hilarious. It’s a totally hoot. There might actually be one or two that do but mostly they’re walking around, playing with each other.” It usually takes two people to manage a racing dachshund, one at the starting gate, and one at trying to entice the animal to the finish line. It’s a big responsibility.

Last year, just as the Doxie Palooza dog show finished, a storm moved in, canceling the race. So this year, Doxie Palooza has a rain date. In the event of downpour, Doxie Palooza takes place June 26.

“I hope it will be a little bigger every year,” Jackson says, “and I hope we have volunteers to help us as we grow bigger.”

I can’t think of anything better than watching dachshunds race on a Saturday in summer. This event sounds like a wiener, er, winner. If you’d like to lend a hand, or have questions about the event, you can call Andrea Jackson at 524-3694.