Archive for the ‘Festivals’ Category

Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, WA

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

 

Willkommen im Leavenworth

Bavarian Bierwagon decorated to celebrate Oktoberfest

You’ve probably figured out that we love Leavenworth, WA anytime of year. There’s never been a season when we’re visiting and thought, “Well, that was a bust. We’ll never come to Leavenworth at this time again.” That being said, nearly everyone has a favorite season, festival or month to visit Leavenworth. For thousands that time of year is October. There are two festivals in October, Leavenworth Oktoberfest for 3 weekends beginning September 30, and Wenatchee River Salmon Festival, October 1-2. And if festivals aren’t your thing, then visit during the week. The change of seasons itself is worth celebrating.

Leavenworth Oktoberfest was organized by Projekt Bayern in 1998 and in just 14 years has grown to four venues and is attended by thousands. In 2009 Hugging the Coast named Leavenworth Oktoberfest the number one place to celebrate Oktoberfest. The festival runs each Friday evening and Saturday for the first three weekends in October beginning September 30th. On Friday the venues open at 6pm. On Saturday the festivities begin with a traditional parade at noon. Leavenworth’s Musikkapelle will lead the Bavarian processional playing traditional Bavarian folk music and polkas. Leavenworth villagers and guests in colorful Bavarian dress (trachten) and the Bavarian Bier Wagon will be there, too. At 1pm the Mayor of Leavenworth “tap the keg” in a traditional Bavarian ceremony at the Festhalle. Biergartens, pubs and restaurants all through the village will be celebrating right along with us. For more about Oktoberfest in Leavenworth see also the Icicle Village Resort Visitor Guide.

Oktoberfest in Leavenworth includes great beer, traditional German food, and bands from the US and Germany. Tickets are available online and at the door and include your admission to all venues and a commemorative bier stein. There are free shuttles between the venue and shuttle transportation for a charge to accommodations outside of Leavenworth. If you haven’t already made reservations for Friday and/or Saturday night for Oktoberfest then you might be out of luck. Many hotels are booked a year in advance for Oktoberfest. Your best bet is to call the Visitors Center to see if they know of any openings. Or call individual hotels or motels and see if they have any openings at this point. You’ll find a complete listing on our website, organized by accommodation type. There are links and phone numbers for Hotels/Motels, Condominiums, Cabins, Bed and Breakfast Inns and Lodging Services. You can stay as far away as Wenatchee and make arrangements for shuttle transportation to and from Leavenworth. Check the Festival’s FAQ’s for answers to a lot of questions about Oktoberfest. Please check out Accidental Bavarian’s Oktoberfest page for more information and links about the festival.

Traveling with kids? Oktoberfest is a family friendly event. Downtown Leavenworth is Kinderplatz with all sorts of kid-friendly activities, like a climbing wall, bouncy toys, and entertainment like L-Bow the Clown, musicians and magic acts. Children are able to be in the Oktoberfest venues until 9pm.

If you’re making travel plans for October and aren’t interested in Oktoberfest, or if you are looking for more family friendly activities in addition to the festivities downtown, check out the 21st annual, award winning Wenatchee River Salmon Festival. This is a free event taking place October 1 and 2, at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. The festival celebrates the return of the salmon with education adventures. There are many interactive activities, music, art and a Native American Tribal Village. Check the website for Festival schedule and activity updates.

For more about Festivals in Leavenworth Washington check out our Festivals page, where there’s another link to the Accidental Bavarian Oktoberfest page. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for news and links to activities and events in Leavenworth.

Weekend in September

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Front Street in Autumn

It’s August already. The “end of summer” blues are just around the corner. I can feel it coming like a train climbing Stevens Pass. If you’re like me you’re probably spending time online or perusing your favorite travel magazines, looking for inspiration for a weekend getaway to celebrate the cooler weather of fall, or to eke out the last few rays of summer. Leavenworth, Washington is my favorite place for a weekend getaway anytime of year, but in the golden days of late summer and autumn the Bavarian village is at its best.

You can find out what’s happening in Leavenworth by checking in with the Accidental Bavarian Event Calendar. Click on the month you’re looking for and every event that we’ve found and that businesses and festivals have alerted us to is listed here. You can also check in with TNBT (The Next Big Thing) where we list events happening for the following two weeks or so. If you look at September’s events now you’ll find the Leavenworth Quilt Show, and Leavenworth’s original festival, the Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival. One of our favorite itineraries is to arrive on a Sunday, enjoy festival activities and then enjoy the quiet side of Leavenworth on Monday and Tuesday. Or use the event calendar to plan a visit without a festival, if crowds aren’t your thing. Though once September starts, there are festivals in Leavenworth every weekend until Oktoberfest ends on October 15th.

Use the key word search in the Event calendar to find other stuff to do during your visit. You can find special events like concerts, a Night at the (Nutcracker) Museum, wine tastings, winery tours, the county fair and live music. You’ll also find links to ongoing events like the Leavenworth Community Farmers Market, on Thursdays and Village Art on the Green.

Cascade Mountains in the fall

For places to stay on your long weekend check our Stay page. You can search for a favorite place or one friends have recommended or look by category. If you’re looking for a weekend cabin then check with Comfy Cabins for cabin and condo rental listings. Follow them on Facebook and they’ll post about any last minute openings for a spontaneous getaway, sometimes with a booking discount or special offer.

Looking for traditional German food while you’re in Leavenworth? Check our German Food page for some of our favorites. You’ll find places like Munchen Haus with outdoor seating, savory flavored grilled sausages with all the trimmings like housemade sauerkraut, and German beers on tap. Or sit at a window seat in CafĂ© Christa, overlooking the Gazebo, and enjoy German specialties like Jaeger schnitzel, mit spaetzl und apfelrotkraut. Jori also has German beer on tap and a fine selection of German wine.

You’ll find lots of other kinds of European and America fare in Leavenworth. Check our Eat page for ideas for everything from gelato to pizza. You’ll find Italian, Asian, cafe fare and lots of chocolate. Scotte and I usually can’t find time to eat all of our favorites during a weekend visit. That’s okay we always know we’ll be back soon. And we never leave without a stop at the Cheesemonger’s Shop and Fudge Hut for continuing enjoyment once we’re home.

Be sure you make time this fall to visit one or more of the many fruit orchards strung out throughout the Wenatchee Valley. The Cascade Foothills Farmland Association has interactive growers maps. You can also request an AgTourism Driving Map. Visit orchards that have been cultivated by the same family for generations, vineyards producing fine Washington wines and wine tasting rooms in Leavenworth and the surrounding area.

Plan a weekend in Leavenworth. Visit Accidental Bavarian for places to stay and eat and things to do during the months of September and October. It’s just the thing you need to bridge the gap between summer and autumn and chase away the back-to-school blues. And be sure to check back frequently. We’ve got some surprises planned for fall.

MaiFest Flower Awards

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
Beautiful flowers decorate the village of Leavenworth, Washington

Beauty blooms all summer

The Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce recently announced the MaiFest Flower Awards.
Be sure to click on each photo in Visit Leavenworth’s Facebook album, to see it in detail.

Congratulations to the winners:

Munchen Haus: Most Spectacular Spring Flower Display

Innsbrucker Building: Oodles of Blooms

Pension Anna Hotel: Bountiful Blooming Balcony

Heidleburger: Burgers and Shakes: Great Flowers

We were in Leavenworth in April and saw the beginnings of the flower boxes being planted. It’s been a cool and wet spring for the area. It’s lovely to see that the flowers are blooming and putting on their usual show.

Flowers enhance the romance of the Gazebo

Dancing at the Gazebo

A recent comment on our Facebook page gave us a little perspective:
“I remember the day when it was the Women’s Garden Club only. Then plastic flowers flourished as year round decorations. Ernie Bielitzer and I lobbied loud and long for the real thing. “No one will take care of them”, “It will never work” “It’s too damn much trouble!” was my favorite. Once Don May joined the fray, well, look what you’ve got now. Way to go!!!!”

Wow, Karendawn, thank you for this insight. More importantly, big thanks to you and others who made this happen. I know that Leavenworth is a more beautiful place because of your work.

Leavenworth Autumn Leaf Festival

Friday, March 4th, 2011

We at Accidental Bavarian congratulate the 2011 Royal Lady of the Autumn Leaves, Nancy Watson. Each year the Autumn Leaf Festival Association (ALFA) chooses a member of the community to represent the association and the community of Leavenworth. The Royal Lady, along with other members of the association and other community volunteers, travels to communities throughout the Pacific Northwest promoting Leavenworth and inviting folks to enjoy the hospitality of Leavenworth. Mrs. Watson will ride the ALFA’s float in as many as 14 parades throughout the spring and summer.

Mrs. Watson, the 48th Royal Lady, has a long history in Leavenworth, though she has described herself as a comparative newcomer. Her husband, Lynn, was born and raised in Leavenworth. Mr. Watson’s mother, Pauline Watson, was the 1980 Royal Lady. Lynn and Nancy have a long history of community involvement and volunteerism in Leavenworth. The Watsons own Alpen Haus Gifts and the Alpen Rose Inn. Mr. Watson is one of the founding members of the Royal Bavarians, a service organization that supports the Autumn Leaf Festival, among other community projects. Mrs. Watson taught in the Leavenworth School District until her retirement in 2000, where she still serves as a substitute teacher on occasion.

The Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival is Leavenworth’s original festival on a calendar full of them. Established in 1964, the festival celebrates the changing of the seasons. The village is filled with activities, entertainment, food and a grand parade. The family-friendly festival is organized, sponsored and staged by the Autumn Leaf Festival Association (AFLA) in conjunction with members of the community, the Royal Bavarians, Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce and the City of Leavenworth.

This year’s Autumn Leaf Festival theme is 80 Years of Winter Sports. 2011 festival dates are September 23-25. The first scheduled float appearance for 2011 is the Tacoma Daffodil Festival Parade, April 9, 2011.

To read more about Leavenworth festivals the year-round, visit our Festivals page!

Oktoberfest

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

Looking for somewhere to celebrate the harvest, to see the beautiful autumn colors? Leavenworth, Washington has been celebrating Oktoberfest for decades. Close enough to go for the day. . . Far enough to get away!
Hugging the Coast, a Daily Updated Celebration of Coastal Food, has named Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest as #1 in its Top 10 Places to Celebrate Oktoberfest in the US.