San Francisco has been a hub of interesting arrivals of sorts for the majority of the time that the city has been around. In the 19th century, it was the hub of a much-ballyhooed gold rush. In the 20th century, it was a pilgrimage for hippies who dug hanging out on the corner of Haight-Ashbury. And lately, it has been corgi central.

Yep, corgis. Those cute little canines that are the favorite breed of Queen Elizabeth II and are so gosh-darn popular. These dogs have their own event in the land of streetcars, steep hills, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Every June, hundreds of corgis, fortunately, accompanied by equally eager owners hit Ocean Beach for a howling good time at Corgi Con. It's where folks on the other side of the leashes get together to compare notes on how to care for their fuzzy wonders and even trade tales about what their quadruped pals have been up to.

And reportedly, the dogs (some 950 of them this time) have a riot by taking part in costume contests and even little dog races along the beach. Added recently was an obstacle course to test the stumpy-legged animals' agility and a group photo was taken where dogs and owners alike assembled en masse to try to spell the word "corgi."

Interestingly enough, the owners who attend from all across the U.S. only communicate with each other via Instagram, where they can post pics of their furry friends and compare pup images. That has inadvertently won over other folks who have fallen in love with the breed to the point where they want one for themselves.

They're certainly getting a larger fan base, according to the American Kennel Club, which rates corgis at No. 15 on the popularity chart, up by nine spots from four years earlier. The breed's rise in favorability has certainly had an effect on Corgi Con, which started out as a loose gathering, but now stages its event twice a year, in June and October.

Some folks who show up from more distant locations treat Corgi Con as a major highlight in their lives, even planning vacations around the opportunity to bring their furry eye candy to the event.

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