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Sunday - July 10
8:00 AM Alpenfest Street Sweep – Bring a broom and join the Alpenfest Committee and Black Jackets as they sweep the streets clean prior to the start of Alpenfest. Upon completion, join us in the comradery as we serve coffee and donuts and share stories and memories of past Alpenfest festivals under the Pavilion.
Tuesday - July 12
11:30 AM- 1:00 PM Alpenfest Honors Luncheon and Awards Presentation - Join the AlpenfestCommittee under the Pavilion as we honor several individuals who supported Alpenfest over the years. Jacket presentation to this year's Parade Marshall, Der Buergermeister, Dar Award Winner and Edelweiss Award Winner. We will also recognize our Honored Business. Entertainment by the Gaylord Alpine Band. Luncheon tickets must be purchased in advance at gaylordchamber.com/events. Tickets $20.00 adults and $10.00 children. Tickets will not be sold the day of the event.
5:00 PM T. J. Schmidt Amusements - Carnival on the Midway.
5:00 PM Alpenstrasse Opens. Featuring crafters and vendors.
5:00 PM Ethnic Alley. Taste various foods served up by our community non-profit organizations and area businesses.
5:00 PM Wurst Wagon. Under the Pavilion. Delicious hot dogs and chips are sponsored and served up hot and fresh by our finest Michigan State Police Officers.
5:00 PM Child Fingerprint Identification - The Michigan State Police are offering a free CD with photo, fingerprint, and voice recognition of your child under the Pavilion.
6:00 PM Official Opening of Alpenfest 2022 - Willkommen by Mayor Todd Sharrard, National Anthem sung by Alpenfest Queen Claire Gilling. Presentation of Colors by Ralph Holewinski VFW Post 1518, Alphorn Salute by Gary Waldo, and introduction of Der Buergermeister, Parade Marshall, Honored Business, Dar and Edelweiss Awards. Also presenting our 2021 Alpenfest Queen and our 2022 Pin Design winners. 45th Parallel Dance Studio in Gaylord will close out our opening ceremonies by dancing and performing to the tune Edelweiss on the Main Stage.
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Kenny Thompson Concert - Join us as we kick off our Tuesday night entertainment as Kenny plays a mix of Country, Blues and Classic Rock.
7:00 PM Lampion Making - Make your lampion for the Burning of the Böögg Parade. Bring your flashlight to the Art Tent and we will supply the rest.
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Alpenfest Idol Tryouts - Alpenfest Kids Tent on Courthouse lawn.
8:00 PM Main Stage Concert. Face 2 Face - A tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel. Sponsored by Jay's Sporting Goods, Alpine Chocolate Haus, Bill Marsh Ford Gaylord, and Cloud Gaylord.
10:00 PM Burning of the Böögg - Put your troubles on paper, slip them inside the Böögg and watch them go up in smoke. Trouble slips are located at the base of the Böögg under the Pavilion. Lampion and Boog parade start at 10:00 PM and continues to the corner of First Street and Center.
Wednesday - July 13
8:30 AM Alpenfest Attire Contest - Categories for Best Dressed Family, Individual, and Child. Winners announced after the walking parade at World's Largest Coffee Break under the Pavilion. Prizes awarded in the Family Fare parking lot prior to the walking parade.
9:00 AM Alpenfest Walking Parade - Join the Gaylord Alpine Band led by Gary Waldo and come dressed in your finest Alpenfest attire for the annual walking parade. Parade starts at the Family Fare parking lot and ends under the Pavilion, walking down Main Street.
9:30 AM Die Groeste Kaffe Pause - The World’s Largest Coffee Break. Under the pavilion All ages welcome. Join us for coffee, donuts, and milk. Listen to the sounds of the The Gaylord Alpine Band.
11:00 AM Alpenstrasse opens. Featuring crafters and vendors.
11:00 AM T.J. Schmidt Amusements. Carnival on the Midway. Wednesday is Kids Day.
11:00 AM Ethnic Alley. Taste various foods served up by our community non-profit organizations and area businesses.
11:15 AM Stilt Walking Contest. Alpenfest Kids Tent on the Courthouse lawn All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Fairy Tale & Co Princess’s Performance. Under the Pavilion.
12:00 PM Pizza Eating Contest. Alpenfest Kids Tent on Courthouse lawn. All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
1:00 PM Pie Eating Contest. Alpenfest Kids Tent on the Courthouse lawn. All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown and Tommy Tropic Pavilion. Under the Pavilion & Alpenfest Kids Tent on Courthouse lawn. Be entertained with balloon artistry, juggling, and lots of laughs.
2:00 PM Bubble Gum Blowing Contest. Alpenfest Kids Tent on Courthouse lawn. All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM Kowalski Brothers Polka Band. Main Stage. This polka band has been an area favorite for many years, playing at many venues and Polka Fests. A crowd favorite.
2:45 PM Goldfish Eating Contest. Alpenfest Kids Tent on Courthouse lawn. Prizes awarded.
6:00 PM Alpenfest Cornhole Tournament. Courthouse lawn. Blind Draw. Cash Prize to the winner. Register on Scoreholio app or text Steve at 231-676-0248.
8:00 PM Main Stage Concert. Teddy Petty & the Refugees. Tribute to Tom Petty. Sponsored by Jay's Sporting Goods, Bill Marsh Ford, Alpine Chocolat Haus, and Cloud Gaylord.
Thursday - July 14
10:00 AM Jump Rope Competition. Under Pavilion. Test your endurance and skills. All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
10:45 AM Hula Hoop Competition. Under Pavilion. How many times you can keep that Hula Hoop spinning? All ages welcome. Prizes Awarded.
11:30 AM Ladies Ankle Competition. Main Stage. All ages welcome. Who has the thinnest? The smoothest? Prizes awarded in over a dozen categories.
12:00 PM Alpenstrasse opens. Featuring crafters and vendors
12:00 PM Ethnic Alley opens. Taste various foods served up by our community non-profit organizations and area businesses.
12:00 PM T.J. Schmidt Amusements. Carnival on the Midway.
12:15 PM Men’s Knee Competition. Main Stage. All ages welcome. Who has the knobbiest? Most Scarred? Most Tan? Prizes awarded in over a dozen categories.
12:30 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown and Tommy Tropic. Under the Pavilion and Art Tent. Entertaining Alpenfest guests for years with balloon artistry, juggling and lots of laughs.
1:00 PM La Promenade Des Biscuits. Main Stage. Join us for Gaylord's version of a cake walk.
3:00 PM Bike & Trike Parade. Under Pavilion. Show off your decorated bikes with Rosco the Clown. (Bike decorating class at 2:00 p.m. under Art Tent)
5:30 PM Ice Cream Social. Under the Pavilion. Banana splits with toppings.
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Michael Cochran Christian Concert - United Methodist Church lawn on First & Center St.
6:00 PM Cornhole Tournament- Courthouse lawn. Cash prizes, Blind draw. Register on Scoreholio app or text Steve at 231-676-0248.
8:00 PM Main Stage Concert. Your Generation. Returning by popular demand. A live multimedia spectacular celebrating 5 decades of pop, rock, dance and R & B hits playing music as diverse as its audience. Join us as we rock your world. Sponsored by Jay's Sporting Goods, Bill Marsh Ford , Alpine Chocolat Haus, and Cloud Gaylord.
Friday - July 15
9:00 AM Pancake and Sausage Breakfast - Under the Pavilion. Start your day off with a pancake and sausage breakfast Sponsored by Gaylord Community Schools.
10:00 AM Ugly Dog Contest - Who’s the most pathetic pooch? Bring your homely hound to this event and let the judges decide. Registration and contest in front of the Alpenfest Kids Tent on the Courthouse lawn. Prizes awarded. Dogs Must Be On Leash.
11:00 AM Pet Parade - Under Pavilion. Make your pet the star of the Strasse at the Pet Parade with Rosco the Clown. Registration and parade under the Pavilion. Prizes awarded. Dogs Must Be On Leash.
12:00 PM Alpenstrasse opens - Featuring crafters and vendors.
12:00 PM Ethnic Alley opens - Taste various foods served up by our community non-profit organizations and area businesses.
12:00 PM T.J. Schmidt Amusements - Carnival open on the Midway.
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown and Tommy Tropic - Under the Pavilion & The Alpenfest Kids Tent on the Courthouse lawn. Be entertained with balloon artistry juggling, and lots of laughs.
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Alpenfest Idol Finals - Main Stage. Cheer on our Alpenfest finalists as they go after the grand prize of becoming our 2022 Gaylord Alpenfest Idol Winner.
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Run Registration Pickup - Alpenfest Kids Tent on the Courthouse lawn.
5:30 PM Alpenfest Queens Pageant - Main Stage. Six local ladies will be competing for the crown and honor of becoming our 2022 Gaylord Alpenfest Queen.
6:00 PM Alpenfest Cornhole Tournament - Courthouse Lawn. Blind draw. Cash Prizes. Register on Scoreholio App or text Steve at 231-676-0248.
8:00 PM Main Stage Concert - Family Tradition Band - Enjoy an evening of country music as this band performs all the hits of various country artists. Sponsored by Jay's Sporting Goods, Bill Marsh Ford, Alpine Chocolat Haus, and Cloud Gaylord.
Saturday - July 16
8:00 AM Farmers Market - Court and First Street.
9:00 AM 5K/10K/1mile Fun Run - Start and end at Corner of Court and First Street parking lot. All Awards to top finishers in each age group. Free Commemorative Alpenfest Run T-shirt to be first 200 runners who register.
Register at https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/Gaylord/AlpenfestRun2022
9:00 AM – 3 PM Alpenfest Car Show - Otsego County Sportsplex. Cost is $25 the day of.
12:00 AM Ethnic Alley - Taste various foods served up by our community non-profit organizations and area businesses.
12:00 PM Alpenstrasse Opens - Featuring crafters and vendors.
12:00 PM Alpenfest Grand Parade - The pageantry of Gaylord’s premier parade unfolds down Main Street and Otsego Avenue.
12:00 PM T.J. Schmidt Amusements - Carnival on the Midway.
1:00 PM Alpenfest Cornhole Tournament - Courthouse Lawn. Doubles, 4 games round robin to double elimination. All ages welcome. $30.00 per team. $250.00 First place prize. Register at Scoreholio app or text Steve at 231-676-0248
1:00 PM Dance Groups - Under Pavilion.
Wurst Boy Dancers-German dance group performing.
45th Parallel Dance-Dancers from local dance studio will be performing to selections from the "Sound of Music.”
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown - Join Rosco as he makes his way around the festival entertaining children and families of all ages. Many Gaylord parents grew up with Rosco at Alpenfest and now their children and grandchildren are enjoying his magic of balloon artistry.
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM New Brass Express Concert - Main Stage. German /Polka music.
3:00 PM Strudel on the Strasse. Under the Pavilion. Join us for an Alpenfest favorite as we serve strudel to the many fans of Alpenfest.
6:00 PM Gaylord Community Productions - Main Stage. Performing songs from this summers production of Shrek the Musical.
7:00 PM Main Stage Concert - Air Margaritaville tribute to Jimmy Buffett. We encourage people to wear their island attire. Sponsored by Jay’s Sporting Goods, Bill Marsh Ford, Alpine Chocolat Haus, and Cloud Gaylord.
9:00 PM Alpenfest Comes to an End. We hope you had an enjoyable week here at the 57th Alpenfest and hope to see you again next year. Thank you on behalf of the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce and Alpenfest Committee.
Alpenfest traces its roots to the mid 1960's. Each year in the middle of July, downtown Gaylord in transformed into a Alpenfest paradise. Enjoy the rides on the midway, hear and see musical acts and entertainers. Enjoy delicious food and bevearge. It's a family fun event that everyone will enjoy!
Tel. (989) 732-6333
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1106, Gaylord, MI 49734
In the early 1960’s Gaylord, which is the county seat of Otsego County, was in the process of changing the town’s image to that of the Alpine look. This change was hastened by the decision of U.S. Plywood to build a particle board plant in Gaylord. The process used to manufacture particle board was developed and patented by a Swiss businessman, Fred Fahrni. The new plant meant employment for many in the area and also opened the door for a big market in the county for aspen and pine, from which the “Novaply” was processed.
