2025 Festival Schedule

Tuesday, July 8

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Alpenfest Honors Luncheon and Awards Presentation - Join the Alpenfest Committee under the Pavilion to honor key supporters, including this year’s Parade Marshall, Der Buergermeister, award winners, and our Honored Business. Enjoy entertainment by the Gaylord Alpine Band and a live community painting by Daniel Duncan (Duncan Studios), to be auctioned off. Purchase tickets in advance at The Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce. No tickets sold at the door.

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Alpen Idol Registration - Claude Shannon Park Sign up for Alpen Idol auditions. Must be registered to audition.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Art Tent Painting with Nature - Use Nature made paintbrush to create a painting. Hosted by Gaylord Conservation District.

1:30 PM- 3:00 PM Senior Bingo - Under Main Stage Pavilion, For Seniors Only! Prizes Awarded. Sponsored by Awakon Federal Credit Union.

2:00 PM Alpenstrasse, Ethnic Alley, T. J. Schmidt & Company Carnival and Beer Garden opens.

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Art Tent Tie-Dye Shirts - Open to 16 and under includes 1 free shirt and tie-dye stations. Supplies are limited. Sponsored by The Team Real Estate Group.

5:00 PM Official Opening of Alpenfest 60! - Main Stage, Willkommen by Mayor Todd Sharrard, and singing of National Anthem. Presentation of Colors by Ralph Holewinski VFW Post 1518, Alphorn Salute and introduction of Der Buergermeister, Honored Business, Dar and Edelweiss Awards. Also presenting our 2025 Alpenfest Queen Contestants and our 2025 Pin Design winners.

5:00 PM Wurst Wagon - Under Main Stage Pavilion, Delicious hot dogs and chips are sponsored and served up hot and fresh by our finest Michigan State Troopers.

5:30 PM Alpenfest Idol Preliminary Round - Claude Shannon Park Come audition for Gaylord’s own Alpenfest Idol. All ages welcome. Bring your own chairs.

6:00 PM Jason Abbott - Main Stage, Come watch Comedian Magician with the whole family for a few hours of laughing and amazement. The first hour of the performance you can win prizes.

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Art Tent Lampion Making - Make your Lampion for Burning of the Boogg Parade. Bring your flashlight to the art tent and we will provide the rest. Sponsored by the Alpenfest Queen Candidates.

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Fleetwood Macked - Main Stage, the Ultimate Tribute to Fleetwood Mac is a New York based Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band. Hailed as the most authentic Fleetwood Mac tribute band in the U.S., much of the realism comes from the bands history. Come rock with us to kick off night one of Alpenfest.

10:00 PM Burning of the Böögg - 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 on the center of the Strasse. Lampion and Boog parade start at 10:00 PM and continues to the corner of First Street and Center.

Wednesday, July 9 - Kid's Day

8:30 AM Alpenfest Attire Contest - Family Fare Parking Lot Categories for Best Dressed Family, Individual, and Child. Winners and prizes announced after the walking parade at World's Largest Coffee Break.

9:00 AM - 10:30 PM Art Tent Sensory Free Crafts - Join us for special crafts tailored to those with sensory friendly needs. Sponsored by E-Free Church, Jets Pizza, & Acorn Health.

9:00 AM Alpenfest Walking Parade - Join the Gaylord Alpine Band and come dressed in your finest Alpenfest attire for the annual walking parade. Parade starts at the Family Fare parking lot and ends at the World’s Largest Coffee Break, walking down Main Street.

9:30 AM Die Groeste Kaffe Pause - The World’s Largest Coffee Break - Under Main Stage Pavilion, All ages welcome. Join us for coffee, donuts, and milk. Listen to the sounds of the The Gaylord Alpine Band. Sponsored by Coldwell Banker.

10:30 AM Hula Hoop - Courthouse Lawn, Various age categories. Prizes awarded.

10:30 AM-11:30 AM Jump Rope Competition - Courthouse Lawn, Various age categories. Prizes awardded.

11:15 AM Stilt Walking Contest - Courthouse Lawn, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.

12:00 PM Alpenstrasse, Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival, Beer Garden opens Under Pavilion, Complimentary kids root beer available while supplies last.

12:00 PM Pizza Eating Contest - Under Pavilion, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded. Sponsored by Jets Pizza.

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Art Tent Kids Painting with Daniel Duncan - Come enjoy a painting lesson. First come first serve with limited seating. New groups start every hour. Sponsored by E-Free Church.

1:00 PM Pie Eating Contest - Under Pavilion, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown and Tommy Tropic Pavilion - Courthouse Lawn, Be entertained with balloon artistry, juggling, and lots of laughs.

1:30 PM Bubble Gum Blowing Contest - Under Pavilion, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.

2:00 PM Goldfish Eating Contest - Under Pavilion, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.

3:00 PM Diaper Derby - Under Pavilion, come cheer on the little ones and see who is the speediest crawler, prizes awarded.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Potato Sack Races - Court House Lawn

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Next to Art Tent Teen Painting - 30 spots available. Get a chance to create an Alpenfest painting.

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Art Tent Friendship Bracelets - Grab a bestie and come make bracelets. Sponsored by State Savings.

5:00 PM - 7:30 PM Frohliche Musiker Blasorchester Band - Main Stage, The Fröhliche Musiker Blasorchester is a 14-piece Bavarian-style band based in Saginaw, Michigan. They offer a high-energy, audience-interactive performance in the tradition of German Oktoberfest.

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Next to Art Tent Adult Painting Class - Pre Registration required. Signup at www.duncanstudiosboynecity.com; cost $40.

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Insiders, A Tribute to Tom Petty - Main Stage, Close your eyes and you won’t know the difference. Open them and you still might be fooled. The Insiders present the premier Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers experience. With 6 veteran musicians and decades of combined stage and touring experience, The Insiders are genuinely running down the dream.

Thursday, July 10

11:00 PM - 1:00 PM Art Tent Arts and Crafts Station - “Live It Out” themed crafts. Sponsored by E-Free Kidz Jam.

11:30 AM Ladies Ankle Competition - Main Stage, All ages welcome. Who has the thinnest? The smoothest? Prizes awarded.

12:00 PM Alpenstrasse, Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival, Beer Garden opens

12:15 PM Men’s Knee Competition - Main Stage All ages welcome. Who has the knobbiest? Most Scarred? Most Tan? Prizes awarded.

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown and Tommy Tropic - Courthouse Lawn, Entertaining Alpenfest guests for years with balloon artistry, juggling and lots of laughs.

1:00 PM La Promenade Des Biscuits - Under Pavilion, Join us for Gaylord's version of a cake walk. Sponsored by the Gaylord Girl Scouts.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Art Tent Decorate Your Bike - Get ready for the bike parade and bedazzle your bike! Great for all ages! Sponsored by Zonta Club.

3:00 PM Bike & Trike Parade - In Front of Sherriff Department, Show off your decorated bikes with Rosco the Clown.

4:00 PM Stone Throw Contest - East Side of Pavilion parking lot, Test your strength and see how far you can throw the stone. Ages 18 and older. Prizes awarded.

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Art Tent Kindness Rock Painting - Pick a rock and decorate it with inspiration designs or messages. Give away or hide around Gaylord. Sponsored by Smith Realty.

5:00 PM Ice Cream Social - Under Pavilion, Banana splits with toppings. Sponsored by Alpine Chocolat Haus.

5:00 PM- 5:30 PM Gaylord Community Productions - Main Stage, Selections from summer musical ‘Matilda‘. Come watch the full musical August 8th-11th at the Gornick Auditorium at Gaylord High School. Tickets on sale at gaylordcommunityproductions.com

6:00 PM Brat Eating Contest - Main Stage, This contest is limited to 12 contestants. Contestants must be 18 years old or older to enter. Eat as many brats as you can in 10 minutes for your chance to be the 2025 Brat Eating Contest winner! Sponsored by Nowicki's Sausage Shoppe Gaylord.

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Family Tradition Band - Main Stage, FTB is a modern take on an old timeless classic sound which includes many traditional country elements such as fiddle, banjo and pedal steel guitar. This combined with spot-on vocal harmonies, dual electric guitars and a rock solid rhythm section, is what creates the authenticity of the band.

Friday, July 11

9:00 AM Pancake and Sausage Breakfast - Under Pavilion, Start your day off with a pancake and sausage breakfast. Sponsored by Gaylord Community Schools.

10:00 AM- 4:30PM Post Office - Center of Strasse, Have your mail sent with the official pictorial Gaylord Alpenfest Cancellation. Bring your own postage or purchase your stamp and envelope by cash or check.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Art Tent Kids Dance Class - Come get your wiggles out! Sponsored by Movement on Main.

11:00 AM Pet Parade - Make your pet the star of the Strasse at the Pet Parade with Rosco the Clown. Registration under the pavilion. Prizes awarded. Dogs Must Be On Leash.

12:00 PM Alpenstrasse, Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival, Beer Garden opens

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Art Tent Book Tasting - Explore children’s books and get inspired to create your own in this Color My World themed event. Complete a colorful craft and take home a blank book to make your own story! Limited supply for blank books. Sponsored by Otsego County Library & PoWeR Book Bags.

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Alpenfest Idol Finals - Main Stage. Cheer on our Alpen Idol finalists as they go after the grand prize of becoming our 2025 Gaylord Alpenfest Idol Winners.

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown and Tommy Tropic - Courthouse Lawn. Be entertained with balloon artistry juggling, and lots of laughs.

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Art Tent Kids Building Workshop - Stop by and build a unique wood craft. Sponsored by Home Depot.

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Spam Carving - Courthouse lawn, Come show off you spam carving skills. You will have 30 minutes to create a can of spam masterpiece. First 50 people. Judges will be watching and voting for their top three. Sponsored by Cutting Edge Storage.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Art Tent Crown Decorating - Kids can get ready to cheer on the Queen candidates by decorating their own crowns. Sponsored by Gaylord High School Cheer Teams.

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Alpenfest Run Registration Pickup - At the North Central State Trailhead.

5:30 PM 2025 Alpenfest Queens Pageant - Main Stage, Local young ladies will be competing for the crown and honor of becoming our 2025 Gaylord Alpenfest Queen.

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Mega 80s - Main Stage, Take a handful of your favorite 80's songs, a splash of some retro fashion, a pinch of panache and an eye-popping video spectacle in the background and what do you get? The Mega 80's, of course! Now veterans of the 80's cultural milieu, they are still rocking as hard as ever. The proof is in the pudding!

Saturday, July 12

7:30 AM Alpenfest Run - Start and end at North Central State Trailhead. Bragging rights to top finishers. Free Commemorative Alpenfest Run T-shirt and medals to the first 150 runners who register.

Registration - 7:30 AM
1 mile fun walk/run - 8:30 AM
10K Run - 9:00 AM
5K run - 9:15 AM

8:00 AM Farmers Market - Court and First Street

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Art Tent Make Some Noise - Prepare for the parade and create your very own noisemakers! Sponsored by Meijer.

12:00 PM Alpenstrasse, Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival, Beer Garden opens.

12:00 PM Alpenfest Grand Parade - The pageantry of Gaylord’s premier parade unfolds down Main Street and Otsego Avenue.

1:00 PM - 1:30 PM Grand Traverse Pipe and Drum - Main Stage, Founded in 1974, The Grand Traverse Pipes and Drums have entertained crowds throughout the Northern Michigan region. The haunting sound of the pipes, the crisp thunder of the drums, and the flash of the kilts is a delight to the eyes and ears!

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown - Under Pavilion, 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.

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Art Tent Superhero Masks - Enjoy etching in your super power design onto a scratch mask to reveal a colorful masterpiece.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Petoskey Steel Drum Band Concert - Court and 2nd Street, The Petoskey Steel Drum Band brings a unique sound to events all over Michigan. This group of about 40 students performs a blend of Caribbean steel drum music with contemporary tunes.

1:30 PM Walking Tacos - Under Pavilion, Join us for a new Alpenfest favorite as we serve walking tacos to the many fans of Alpenfest. Sponsored by Sheriff Nowicki’s Family.

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Mysty Blues - Main Stage, Enjoy Polka tunes for all ages.

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Art Tent, Instrument Crafts - Explore various musical themed crafts. Sponsored by Gaylord Orchestra.

5:00PM - 6:00PM Art Tent Kids Magician

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Main Street Soul - Main Stage, This 11-piece band is AMAZING, playing hits from high-energy Motown Classics to more current Top 40 favorites, everyone will want to get up out of their seat and dance to the music!

9:00 PM Alpenfest Comes to an End - We hope you had an enjoyable week here at the 60th Alpenfest a Thank you on behalf of the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce and Alpenfest Committee.