Last Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., thousands of fans gathered at the Alameda County Fairgrounds for the 11 annual Corgi Con.
“Everything about them just makes you really laugh. And I think it’s one of the only breeds that people will actually scream ‘corgi’ when they see them… Anytime they see a corgi, they get excited, and generally speaking, corgis are always very friendly and nice and really love people,” said event founder Cynthia Lee.
From humble beginnings to a furry phenomenon
In recent years, Corgi Con has drawn as many as 4,000 dog lovers and 2,000 corgis. The event originated from the humble idea of having a space for corgi lovers to meet.
“When I got my first corgi… she was kind of one of the first O.G. famous corgis on Instagram…And I used to schedule meetups in San Francisco, essentially like monthly meetups for corgis,” said Lee.
For the past three years, Corgi Con has taken place at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. The expansive area allows for food trucks and vendors to sell corgi-themed merchandise to the growing crowds.
“It actually got me to go out more and like socialize with other people. They’re super friendly dogs, very approachable. They’re really sweet too,” said event attendee Rheina Isla.
Corgis take on the Fairgrounds
One of the main attractions is the Corgi Ninja Warrior obstacle course.
“It’s always super fun to watch because they’re so short, so you wouldn’t think that they’re as quick, but they’re pretty fast,” said Isla.
The obstacle course may be a fun sight, but Lee believes it also serves a good purpose.
“I think there is a misconception that corgis are lazy loaves, which they are also, but they are herding dogs. So they are, you know, working dogs. So you can see how athletic they really are in both Corgi Ninja Warrior,” said Lee.
Alongside the obstacle course, corgis participated in a costume contest and group photo.
“There was a corgi that was dressed up like part of a fried chicken bucket. Or last year there was one, you know, the old-school, in a sewing kit, there’s a pincushion that looks like a tomato. So there was a corgi that was dressed like a giant pincushion. There was one that was like a big loofah,” said Lee.
As Corgi Con continues to grow, Lee looks forward to the future of the event.
“And I do think it’s likely time for us soon to maybe, you know, do an event somewhere else. So maybe, you know, Corgi Con goes national,” said Lee.
