Wiener Dog Race T-shirt contest announced for 2026 Watermelon Days Festival

CORDELE, Ga. – The countdown to summer is underway, and this year’s Watermelon Days Festival is adding a fun new twist.

Organizers have announced the first-ever Wiener Dog Race as part of the 2026 festivities and they’re inviting the community to help design the official race T-shirt.

Artists and dachshund fans alike are encouraged to submit their original designs for the inaugural event. Up to three designs may be entered per person, and entries must be emailed to CordeleDoxiRace@gmail.com by March 31. The winning design will be revealed April 11.

Festival organizers say submissions are already “racing in,” with multiple entries received so far. Once entries are collected, they will be uploaded to Facebook, where the community can vote by liking their favorite designs. The top three designs receiving the most likes will advance to a final round of judging.

Community members can view and vote on entries through the official Facebook event page here.

The Watermelon Days Festival, known as Georgia’s oldest festival, celebrates Cordele’s title as the “Watermelon Capital of the World.” The 2026 festival is scheduled for June 20 and will feature dozens of family-friendly events highlighting the community’s agricultural heritage.

For more information about the festival or the T-shirt design contest, contact the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce at 229-273-1668.

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