The Lederhosen Dash runs into Oktoberfest
NU WELLness Collective brings fun run back for the fall
Participants in the 2025 Lederhosen Dash run down State Street. This year’s Lederhosen Dash will be follow the same route, but this year’s race was moved from Bavarian Black in July to Saturday, Oct. 3 during Oktoberfest. Submitted photo
Poster for the 2026 Lederhosen Dash. Submitted image
Participants in the 2025 Lederhosen Dash run down State Street. This year’s Lederhosen Dash will be follow the same route, but this year’s race was moved from Bavarian Black in July to Saturday, Oct. 3 during Oktoberfest. Submitted photo
Poster for the 2026 Lederhosen Dash. Submitted image
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NEW ULM - The Lederhosen Dash is returning to New Ulm for the first weekend of Oktoberfest.
The 5K will start at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Brown County Fairgrounds.
The Lederhosen Dash is organized by New Ulm's WELLness Collective and serves as a fundraiser for the organization. Proceeds from the event support the New Ulm WELLness Collective, that aims to make wellness accessible to everyone.
This will be the second Lederhosen Dash. The first was held July 2025 during Bavarian Blast.
WELLness Collective member Samantha Miller said Bavarian Blast had previously held a fun run of their own, but it had gone away. The WELLness Collective coordinated with Bavarian Blast to restart the race, now called Lederhosen Dash.
The plan was to run the Lederhosen Dash during Bavarian Blast again this year, but Miller said Schell's Brewery hosted its own 5K the same weekend. Rather than have competing 5Ks, The WELLness Collective decided to move the Lederhosen Dash to the fall during Oktoberfest.
"It gives more opportunities for running," Collective member Danielle Deopere said.
Miller said there was a benefit to running in the fall instead of the summer. The cooler conditions are often more favorable for running.
The route of the Lederhosen Dash will be the same as last year. It starts at the 12th Street entrance of the fairgrounds and travel south along State Street. At Center Street the route moves West on Center toward Garden Street and then will return on Garden to the fairgrounds.
Collective member Kayla Bartlett said the benefit of this route is that it's accessible for people who don't normally run 5Ks.
"It can be a great jumping off point without any hard elevation changes," she said.
Deopere said last year people ran the route with strollers and a side-by-side bike.
"We're OK with whatever works for people as long as it is not electronic," she said.
Collective member Emily Deno made it clear that it is not required that runners wear lederhosen. In fact, that might make it difficult to run.
Deopere said last year there were some volunteers dressed in traditional German outfits, but none of them ran like that.
That said, Lederhosen Dash is intended to be inclusive. The idea behind the run is simply to have fun. There will be no official timer for the run.
Deopere said when looking for fundraising options they settled on the 5K because it fit with their group's wellness mission. Their motto is: "healthy body, healthy minds, full spirtis."
Those who wish to participate in this year's Lederhosen Dash may registered through a link on The WELLness Collective's Facebook page. The link is also on the New Ulm WELLness collective website: https://www.newulmwell.org/
Runners may also register on the day of the race, with registration opening at 7:30 a.m. a half hour before the start of the fun run. The cost to register is $30.
The proceeds will cover the cost free classes offered through The WELLness Collective and their free form art group for teenagers. The proceeds will also cover "Bliss Bucks," which is funding for those in need of care.