Sidewalk Dog took a visit up to the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon this year and learned some truly amazing stuff. But we also saw some seriously amazing stuff (because surprise! there’s more to the opening weekend than the sled race itself), and we want to show you some of our favorites.

The Cub Run. Yup, it’s the world’s cutest sled race for tiny humans.

Cutest Puppy Contest. What more do you need to know? Cute puppies compete to be named the cutest of all the puppies. Spectators get to wander around and meet/pet/fall in love with all the contestants.

Photo Gallery. Stay warm at the indoor photo gallery, which contains a stunning display of photos from the previous year’s race. Our favorite photo? A close-up of a musher, furry hood up, icicles in his frozen beard.

Opening Ceremony. Meet mushers, the families of mushers, and just generally have a fantastic time meeting dog-lovers and your fellow Minnesotans. Watch the mushers be sworn in as mail carriers, enjoy a drum circle, and listen to John Beargrease’s great-grandson speak.

Dog-friendly Lodging. We stayed at Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors for the festivities, where some of their cabins welcome dogs of ALL BREEDS and sizes. Which is pretty freaking amazing. We were sans dog this trip, but we still give it two paws way up. (Bonus video to show you more — including a gorgeous pup!)

Meet the Mushers (and their pups). Walk among the musher’s parked trucks and trailers for a couple of hours to meet them, their dogs, and their families. It’s a great way to meet the teams you’ll be rooting for over the next few days! Plus, you can warm up at the bonfire.

Watch from the starting line. Go line up at the starting line, be deafened by dogs excited to get their run on, and watch teams take off in two-minute intervals. Go, dog, go!