The Bavarian beer fest may never come backâand it's not just about Covid.
By
Allison Williams
3/16/2021 at 3:04pm
The 1960s decision to give Leavenworth a Bavarian makeover was reportedly inspired by the California town of Solvang, which had adopted a Danish theme.
This fall, something will be different in the mountain town of Leavenworth, the Bavarian-styled hamlet two hours east of Seattle where even the fast food restaurants have gingerbread trim and painted shutters. Usually a giant Oktoberfest descends on downtown for three consecutive weekends, the oompah sounds of traditional polka music wafting over beer gardens set up outside the city's Festhalle civic center. But today, Projekt Bayern, the nonprofit that has overseen Leavenworth Oktoberfest since its conception, announced that for the second year in a row, the fest won't occur due to "lingering Covid-19 effects."