2026 Festival Schedule
Tuesday, July 14
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 Marshal, 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 Art Tent Clothespin People - Stop by for imaginative play, kids will also receive a free goodie bag to take home. Sponsored by Otsego County Library
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Senior Bingo - Under Pavilion, For Seniors Only! Prizes Awarded. Sponsored by Awakon Federal Credit
2:00 PM AlpenMarkt, Beirgarten, Ethnic Alley and T. J. Schmidt & Company Carnival
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Alpen Idol Registration Claude Shannon Park Sign up for Alpen Idol auditions. Must be registered to audition
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Art Tent NeeDoh - create your own squishy NeeDoh. Sponsored by Team Real Estate
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.
5:00 PM- 7:00 PM Happy Hour at the Beirgarten Under Pavilion - Come down to the Beirgarten for a $1 off any pour.
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. Must be registered to audition.
6:00 PM Official Opening of Alpenfest 61! - 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, Parade Marshal, Legacy, Dar and Edelweiss Awards. Also presenting our 2026 Alpenfest Queen Contestants and our 2026 Pin Design winner.
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 Epic Eagles Main Stage - Providing a masterful presentation of Eagles classic hits and Don Henley favorites with its rock n' roll game-changing song catalogue, Epic Eagles has earned its place among the top drawing tribute acts in North America and is widely regarded as the finest Eagles tribute show in production today.
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 on the center of the Strasse. Lampion and Böögg parade start at 10:00 PM and continues to the corner of First Street and Center.
Wednesday, July 15 - 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 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 - Under Pavilion, Join us for coffee, donuts, and milk. Listen to the sounds of the Gaylord Alpine Band. Sponsored by Coldwell Banker.
9:45 AM Diaper Derby Under Pavilion - come cheer on the little ones and see who is the speediest crawler, prizes awarded.
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Art Tent Arts & Crafts Stations - Get creative with hands-on arts and crafts stations. Sponsored by E-Free Kidz Ministry
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 awarded.
11:00 AM AlpenMarkt, Beirgarten Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival opens - Under Pavilion, Complimentary kids root beer available.
11:15 AM Stilt Walking Contest - Courthouse Lawn, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
12:00 PM Pizza Eating Contest - Under Pavilion, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded. Sponsored by Jets Pizza.
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Kids Painting with Daniel Duncan on the Courthouse Lawn - Come join Daniel Duncan in his tent and learn step-by-step how to create your own canvas masterpiece.
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Art Tent Workshop - Build, create and have fun at the Kids Building Workshop. Sponsored by Home Depot.
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.
1:00 PM Bubble Gum Blowing Contest - Under Pavilion, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
1:30 PM Goldfish Eating Contest - Under Pavilion, All ages welcome. Prizes awarded.
2:00 PM Potato Sack Races - Courthouse Lawn, all ages welcome.
3:00 PM- 4:00 PM The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon - Claude Shannon Park, Written by Don Zolidis this one act play will be performed by Gaylord Community Productions.
4:00 PM-5:00 PM Family Bingo - Courthouse Lawn Bring the whole crew for a fast-paced, exciting game everyone can enjoy together.
4:00 PM - 6:00PM Art Tent Friendship Bracelets - Mix, match and create your own one-of-a-kind friendship bracelets. Sponsored by State Savings Bank
5:00 PM - 6:30 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.
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM Mall Rats Main Stage - Step back in time and embark on a musical journey through the iconic era of flannel shirts, neon jackets, and alternative rock. Mallrats is not a band; it's a time machine transporting you straight into the heart of a 90s party filled with iconic sing-a-long rock.
Thursday, July 10
9:00 AM - 11:00 PM Art Tent Sensory Friendly Crafts - Enjoy a calm, creative space designed for sensory- friendly crafting. Explore hands-on activities and make a fun sensory craft to take home. Sponsored by E-Free Kidz Jam, Acorn Health & Jet's Pizza
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Art Tent Musical Instruments - Explore your musical creativity with hands-on fun for all ages. Sponsored by Gaylord Orchestra
12:00 PM AlpenMarkt, Beirgarten, Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival, opens
12:00 PM Men's Knee & Ladies Ankle 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, Be entertained with balloon artistry, juggling, and lots of laughs.
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Art Tent Decorate Your Bike - Deck out your bike with fun decorations! Stop by to add some festival flair before the parade and show off your creative style. Bike Parade to follow. Sponsored by Zonta Club
3:00 PM Bike & Trike Parade - In Front of Sheriff Department, Show off your decorated bikes with Rosco the Clown.
3:00 PM- 4:00PM The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon Claude Shannon Park, Written by Don Zolidis this one act play will be performed by Gaylord Community Productions.
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 Patriotic Craft - Celebrate America's 250th Birthday with festive patriotic crafts! Create red, white and blue projects full of stars, stripes, and creative fun. Sponsored by the DTE Foundation and Gaylord Alpenfest
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 'Anastasia'. Come watch the full musical
August 6th-9th 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. Sign up at Nowicki's Sausage Shop. Eat as many brats as you can in 10 minutes for your chance to be the 2026 Brat Eating Contest winner! First place receives a $200 Gift card to Nowicki's. Sponsored by Nowicki's Sausage Shoppe Gaylord
8:00 PM - 10:00PM Drew Hale Band Main Stage - A native Texan, Drew's style of music pays homage to his roots in the red dirt and southern rock scenes of Texas and the Southwest, while his lyrics speak to his deep affection for the lifestyle and culture of his home in Northern Michigan. Drew is the winner of the 34th annual Country Showdown national championship, which took place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and earned him the title of Best New Act in Country Music.
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 - 11:00 AM Art Tent Pre-K to 3rd Grade Youth Dance Class - Twirl, Jump, and dance along at this fun dance class. Sponsored by Art in Motion in Lewiston 11:00 AM Pet Parade Under Pavilion, 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.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Art Tent 4th Grade to 7th Grade Youth Dance Class - Hit the dance floor and learn exciting new moves at this fun dance class. Sponsored by Rose Dance Academy in Gaylord
12:00 PM AlpenMarkt, Beirgarten, Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival, opens
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Art Tent Kindness Rocks - Paint colorful kindness rocks to hide around town or take home to brighten someone's day. Spread kindess one rock at a time. Sponsored by Smith Realty Group
1:00 PM PETS NEED TO BE OFF ALPENSTRASSE
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 2026 Gaylord Alpenfest Idol Winners. Sponsored by Gaylord Community Productions
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Rosco the Clown and Tommy Tropic - Courthouse lawn, Be entertained with balloon artistry juggling, and lots of laughs.
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Spam Carving - Courthouse lawn, Come show off your 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 Alpine Tavern
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Art Tent Pageant Crafts - Kids can get ready to cheer on the Queen candidates by creating their own pageant-themed crafts. Sponsored by Serra Gaylord Automotive LLC
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Alpenfest Run Registration Pickup At the North Central State Trailhead.
5:30 PM 2026 Alpenfest Queens Pageant - Main Stage, Local young ladies will be competing for the crown and honor of becoming our 2026 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 Alpentest Run T-shirt and medals to the first 300 runners who register. (no shirts or medals for the 1 mile)
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Registration - end at 7:30 AM
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1 mile fun walk/run - 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
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10K Run - 8:30 AM
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5K run - 8:45 AM
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Art Tent Make Some Noise - Get loud and parade ready, create noisemakers to cheer on the Grand Parade in style Sponsored by Meijer
12:00 PM AlpenMarkt, Beirgarten, Ethnic Alley, and T.J. Schmidt & Company Carnival opens
12:00 PM Alpenfest Grand Parade - The pageantry of Gaylord's premier parade unfolds down Main Street and Otsego Avenue.
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.
1:00 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 - 3:00 PM Art Tent Garden Wind Chimes - Design a unique wind chime that will add charm to your garden or porch. Sponsored by Otsego Conservation District
1:30 PM Walking Tacos - West of the Pavilion, Come join us for some delicious walking tacos. Sponsored by Night to Shine
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Grand Traverse Pipe & Drum Band - Under Pavilion, Get ready for the powerful sound and rich tradition of the Grand Traverse Pipes & Drums! Founded in 1974, this award-winning Scottish pipe band brings the spirit of the Highlands to Alpenfest with stirring marches, lively reels and jigs, and unforgettable performances that are sure to turn heads and raise goosebumps.
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM Dance Performance - Under the Pavilion, Come and watch a beautiful performance by our local dancers from the Rose Dance Academy.
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM La Promenade Des Biscuits - Under Pavilion, Join us for Gaylord's version of a cake walk. Sponsored by the Gaylord Girl Scouts
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Art Tent Reptile Show - Slither into this exciting show, featuring amazing animals from a local rescue group. Get up close with fascinating reptiles while learning fun facts about these unique creatures. Sponsored by Genesis Reptile Rescue
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Music in Claude Shannon Claude Shannon Park - Come check out some local talent performing in the park.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Art Tent Reptile Show - Slither into this exciting show, featuring amazing animals from a local rescue group. Get up close with fascinating reptiles while learning fun facts about these unique creatures. Sponsored by Genesis Reptile Rescue
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Attaboy - Main Stage, a fun loving indie/pop band from Indiana!
9:00 PM Alpenfest Comes to an End - We hope you had an enjoyable week here at the 61st Alpenfest. Thank you on behalf of the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce and Alpenfest Committee.
