Corgi Beach Day Spring 2019
Huntington State Beach, Huntington Beach, CA
Hey, everyone! Happy Tax Day! Are you stressed out because you procrastinated and didn’t do your taxes yet? Well, first of all, file an extension. And second of all, we have the solution to your anxieties: puppy-therapy! Because we too procrastinated a bit on today’s update, which recaps this past Corgi Beach Day that took place a week ago on Saturday, April 6. Although, in some respects, we didn’t really procrastinate, because this year’s theme was Corgchella, and with today falling in between Coachella Weekend 1 and Weekend 2, I’m going to say that this is actually pretty fitting.
So put on your flower crown, set emotions to dawwwwwww, and enjoy this adorable furball update of pupperoo’s to soothe your soul and lighten your mind!
Ambiance
We’ve covered Corgi Beach Day before, a year and a half ago at their autumn iteration. Corgi Beach Days happen twice a year, in April and October, and for the past several rounds, they’ve been occurring at the Huntington Beach Dog Park at Huntington State Beach, right on Pacific Coast Highway, a bit north of Downtown Huntington Beach.
The SoCal Corgi Nation was in full force, which meant Corgis everywhere!
This year once again saw a meet-up of corgis of all shapes and breeds, plus plenty of “honorary corgis”—i.e. dogs that are not corgis. On a relatively warm day, thousands of people came together in a mutual love of dogs—and for many—the chance to publicize their Instagram dog accounts.
Corgi Beach Day’s Coachella theme even spawned its own Sahara Tent! But with much less oontz oontz.
There were doggos everywhere, like this absolutely freaking adorable 8 WEEK OLD mix OMG JUST LOOK AT HIS EYES AND HIS FLUFFINESS AGGGHHHHHH ADORABLE OVERLOAD!!!
The Coachella themed provided some fun photo ops for the puppers, heavily emphasizing the hippie/hipster/millennial aesthetic. Some guests even got into the action with their own Coachella-themed tent structures, while others simply were there for the social dog interaction and the positive, uplifting spirit of canine companionship and proximity. Be they dog owners or dog fans, everyone was in a vibrant and joyous mood. And how could you not be? There were corgis and dachshunds and shiba-inu’s and pit bulls and German shepherds and more—everywhere!
There were fun photo ops for dogs and owners too. This guy probably felt a little demeaning, but hey… anything for the ‘Gram?
Corgi Merchandise
The event also provided the opportunity for local venders, shelter organizations, and dog amenity providers to promote their goods and services. From thematic items like flower crowns to doggy play toys, nutrition, pampering services, and rescue operations, plus a lot of Corgi Beach Day merchandise, there were plenty of things to buy!
If you aren’t feeling hipster enough, get your dog a flower crown, and REALLY get that Coachella vibe!
There were also souvenirs and things for humans to show off their love of dogs.
Looking for a portrait for you pup? You could get that here too.
And there were cute dog toys and other crafts for man’s best friend.
Costume Contests
Corgi Beach Day has gotten into a nice pattern of organized events throughout the morning and early afternoon schedule. One of them is the Corgi Costume Contest, and this time around, they had two: one for dogs dressed up to the Coachella theme, and a second for general costumes. Although the overall showing was not as great as the fall event, which ties into Halloween has a lot more corgi owners in the dress-up mood, there were still some pretty fantastic costumes, include one with an elaborate Coachella-style flower backdrop for a pair of “gnomes,” and another super elaborate Game of Thrones (Bones?) wagon/ship carrying dragon eggs.
Finalists line up for one of the costume contest judging.
A dog family of dogs pose after a contest round.
For some, the costuming was a family affair, with humans and pups dressed up in the same theme. For others, it was a chance to show off their creativity on the dogs only. Say what you will about dressing up animals, but they certainly looked adorable!
The backdrop for @Tworgis served as a photo op for other dogs if their owners so desired.
Corgi Limbo
Another favorite contest? The Corgi Limbo! Again, there were less contestants this year than the first time I saw the event in 2017, but it still ended up being quite exciting! The two time defending champion, Crouton, was one of the finalists, competing against Jelly, a former champion out to reclaim his crown.
Crouton waits for directions from his owner at the Corgi Limbo.
Jelly also scoots under the bar while his owner impressively
The contest went three rounds, but it ended almost prematurely when Crouton shockingly knocked the bar down on his attempt. This was surprising, since Crouton’s victories fall and spring of last year featured very meticulous and deliberate limbo action at the direction of his owner. With the obstacle dislodged, it was up to Jelly to duck under for the win, or else replay the round. But limbo under Jelly did, prompting a big celebration from his owner!
Jelly wins!!
Posing with trophy and puppy.
Avocado-ish Toast Eating Contest
In the fall, Corgi Beach Day traditionally holds a pie eating contest. But since this was Corgchella, and one had to satiate the hipster crowd, the dogs got “avocado-ish toast” instead. Not from real avocados, because avocado seeds can actually be negatively reactive for some dogs. Instead, these were toasts of cottage cheese dyed in a natural green (though unnaturally looking).
Lining up before the eating commences…
Need to pass time? Just Corgi-dance to “Uptown Funk!”
The winner of the contest was the puppy who devoured its toast first. This contest, as expected, didn’t last that long. But it was pretty darn cute watching the corgis scarf through their scrumptious snacks!
These dogs were very good boys (and girls) waiting patiently for their toast.
Nom nom nom nom!!
Corgi Momo Contest
The last contest of the day was the Corgi Momo Contest. “Momo” is the Japanese word for peach, and this contest is so named because Corgi butts happen to resemble peaches. So essentially, this was a contest to see which Corgi had the best derriere.
The corgis prance down the runway, showing off their moneymakers.
There were a pretty good number of corgis who participated in this competition. One after another, they strutted down the runway, shaking their tails as the crowd cheered in support. After a group finished, the Corgis were brought back to the runway and pointed rear-forward, to be judged by the crowd based on level of cheer.
Face back, buns up, shake what your corgi mama gave ya!
In what might have been a first-ever happening, the winner was the pup who appeared—yes, not kidding—twerk while being judged… literally vibrating his Corgi butt much to the astonishment and laughter of the crowd. After that move, his competitors didn’t stand a chance!
Corgi Beach Day Spring 2019 was once again a beautiful and exceedingly enjoyable day full of adorable canines, entertaining events, and a lively and cheerful atmosphere. Dogs, on the beach, on a gorgeous day… what can get better than that? Not a lot, I say.
If you’re sad about missing this, because you have never heard of the event before, never fear! There will be another Corgi Beach Day this fall, on Saturday, October 26. The event is free to the public, and parking is available paid at the beach or free if you can find street parking nearby. The event runs 10am - 3pm and also features food trucks and other vendors for those who stay the whole time. in addition, this Memorial Day weekend, the second annual Corgi Nationals will take place at Santa Anita Race Track on Sunday, May 26. I’m hoping that the issues that have plagued the horses won’t be problems for the dogs. The event is sure to be an exciting and adorable one!
Architect. Photographer. Disney nerd. Haunt enthusiast. Travel bugged. Concert fiend. Asian.
