Events & What’s Happening
Traditional Bavarian spring celebration featuring maypole dancing, German music, food, and folk costumes in the heart of the village.
💡Kids love watching the maypole dancers — arrive early to grab a spot near the front on Front Street.
A self-guided driving tour through the scenic Wenatchee Valley spotting large decorative quilt squares painted on barns, farms, and buildings.
💡Turn it into a scavenger hunt for kids — print the map and let older children check off each quilt pattern they find.
Outdoor Broadway-style musical productions performed in the stunning natural Icicle Creek amphitheater setting, with performances running through summer weekends.
💡Bring blankets and layers — the amphitheater gets cold after sunset even in July; shows are appropriate for ages 6 and up.
A family-focused festival celebrating children with games, crafts, face painting, and traditional Bavarian activities throughout the village.
💡Specifically designed for young children — bring a stroller and plan for at least three hours of activities.
One of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the Pacific Northwest, featuring authentic German beer, food, oompah bands, and traditional Bavarian entertainment across three weekends.
💡Daytime hours on Saturday are most family-friendly; the festival gets louder and more crowded after 5pm.
Leavenworth transforms into a magical Bavarian Christmas village with over 500,000 lights, nightly tree lighting ceremonies, carolers, and visits from St. Nicholas throughout December.
💡The official lighting ceremony weekends in early December are magical but extremely crowded — visit on a mid-December weekday for a more relaxed experience.
A beloved local production of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker performed by the Leavenworth Dance Academy in the Village Shops loft theater, set against the Bavarian backdrop.
💡Purchase tickets well in advance as performances sell out quickly; great first live ballet experience for young children.
Free weekly story time at the Leavenworth branch of the North Central Regional Library featuring age-appropriate books, songs, and crafts for young children.
💡Best for ages 2–6; arrive a few minutes early as the small space fills up quickly, especially during tourist-heavy summer months.
Paved and natural walking trail along the Wenatchee River and Waterfront Park accessed from the village, popular year-round with families for strolling, wildlife spotting, and picnicking.
💡The paved section near Waterfront Park is stroller-friendly; watch for spawning salmon in the river during late September and October.
Weekly outdoor farmers market in the village featuring local produce, artisan goods, baked goods, and prepared foods from Chelan and Kittitas County vendors.
💡Come hungry — the prepared food vendors are excellent, and kids enjoy sampling fresh fruit from the orchard stands.
Weekend group ski and snowboard lessons for children at Stevens Pass Mountain Resort, located 35 minutes from Leavenworth, with dedicated beginner terrain and kids-only areas.
💡Book lessons weeks ahead for holiday weekends; Leavenworth makes an ideal cozy home base for a ski trip to Stevens Pass.
Planning Your Visit
Neighborhoods & Areas
Local Tips for Families
- 💡The Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery on Icicle Road is completely free and one of the best kid stops in town — visit in September or October when returning Chinook salmon are visible in the holding ponds and kids can feed juvenile trout for $0.25 from the dispenser machines.
- 💡Park once in the Commercial Street free lot behind the Bavarian Village core and walk everywhere — the entire Front Street plaza is under half a mile end to end and re-parking during festivals is nearly impossible.
- 💡The Leavenworth Summer Theater's Sunday matinees of family-friendly shows like 'The Sound of Music' in the outdoor Ski Hill amphitheater are typically less sold-out than Friday and Saturday evening performances — book Thursday through Tuesday matinees for the best seat availability.
- 💡Wading in Icicle Creek is free and beloved by local families — the best shallow entry points for young kids are near the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery parking area, not at the upper canyon trailheads where the current is stronger.
- 💡München Haus on Front Street sells kid-appropriate bratwursts and soft pretzels with mustard from their outdoor counter — it's faster and cheaper than sit-down Bavarian restaurants on the main strip, and the outdoor picnic tables let kids be loud without anyone minding.
- 💡The Enchantment Permits lottery (required for overnight trips into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness) opens in February each year — day hiking to Stuart Lake via the Eightmile trailhead does not require a permit and is achievable for fit families with kids 8 and older.
- 💡Safeway in Leavenworth is the only full grocery store in town; stock up on snacks and sandwich supplies before heading up Icicle Road to avoid paying resort-area prices at the small camp stores near the campgrounds.
- 💡During the Christkindlmarkt weekends (first three Saturdays of December), the village reaches extreme capacity — if you visit in December, attend on a weekday when the atmosphere is still magical but stroller-navigable and restaurant wait times drop significantly.