Lake Minnetonka Magazine: Lead Dog Sponsor. Photo: Kate Evans Photography
Update: the Klondike Dog Derby has been canceled for 2026 due to lack of snow.
Embrace winter adventure at the annual Klondike Dog Derby March 6 and 7 by participating in prerace events and cheering on world class mushers and dogs. The teams will race through the snowy streets and shores of Lake Minnetonka as part of the only professional dog sled race in North America taking place in a major metropolitan area.
Free, family-friendly festivities will kick off at 4 p.m. March 6 in downtown Excelsior with Meet the Mushers and Hug-a-Husky events. The 40-mile race will commence at 10 a.m. March 7, and teams will trek from Water Street out along Lake Minnetonka. The first finisher is expected back on Water Street around 1:30 p.m.
The event offers “a tribute to the history of sled dog racing in Excelsior and the Lake Minnetonka area,” which dates back to the Klondike Days of the 1930s, says Dale Kurscher, board member for the event. Past races have attracted 40,000 spectators, and the 2026 derby promises a community celebration and educational experience that Kurscher hopes will bring people together to support “the incredible athleticism and passion of sled dogs and mushers.”
More information can be found on klondikedogderby.com.
