Oregon’s Alpenfest, the only Swiss-Bavarian cultural festival in the West, happens in the majestic Wallowa Mountains of northeast Oregon – a region whose spectacular scenery reminds many of the Swiss Alps.

Events are scheduled at Wallowa Lake, one of Oregon’s biggest attractions; the art colony of Joseph, and historic Enterprise. The glacier-formed lake is known for its pristine beauty and recreation assets ranging from boating, hiking, fishing and camping, to riding the tramway to the top of the surrounding peaks.

Featured performers are The Polkatones dance band, the Tirolean Dancers folk dance troupe, Swiss yodeler Shelby Imholt from Portland, Enterprise alphornist Bruce Coutant and accordion virtuoso Alicia Baker from Denver.

Polka stars Randy and Ashley Thull from Wisconsin will offer free polka lessons, and visiting accordionists will play on Main Street in Joseph and at the outdoor Alpine Breakfasts at Wallowa Lake.

Main performances take place Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening in the century-old Edelweiss Inn, traditional home of Alpenfest, next to the Wallowa Lake Tramway.

Numerous craft and food vendors will offer their wares Friday through Sunday at the outdoor Alpine Fair.

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, pancakes, eggs and sausage will be served at the Alpine Breakfasts to benefit the Wallowa Lake Tourism Association.

Details about the performers and ticket information are available at oregonalpenfest.com or by phone to 541-426-2577.

Alpenfest was born in 1975 when business owners at Wallowa Lake sought to create a reason for visitors to come to “Oregon’s Little Switzerland” after Labor Day, the typical end of the busy visitor season. Tourism is a large driver of the county economy.

A natural for the end of September, when other regions are staging Oktoberfests, the original Alpenfest lasted until 2008. In 2011, after disappointed tourists kept asking what happened, business owners in Joseph and at the lake decided to revive the festival.

The new era was ushered in with a new name, “Oregon’s Alpenfest,” in 2012. Events were scheduled in three Wallowa County locations, as is the case today.

Beer offerings will differ from those in past years. Instead of importing German beers, Alpenfest will pour exclusively eastern Oregon brews in Alpine style. Attendees receive free 24-ounce glass mugs at entrance.

Terminal Gravity Brewing in Enterprise, which has honored the festival with an Alpenfest beer every year since 2012, will make a German kolsch. East Fork Brewery in Joseph will provide a Bavarian Hefeweizen, M. Crow Brewing in Lostine a Berliner Weisse and Side A Brewing in La Grande a German black lager known as Schwartzbier.

Alpenfest’s bratwurst is produced by Hines Meat Co. in La Grande. Hines, a family-owned butcher shop, is the latest of several providers of bratwurst for the festival following changes in the region’s sausage landscape. Chuck Anderson, the event’s alpenmeister, said Hines “has the best smoked German bratwurst in the state that I’ve tasted.”

The event’s parent organization, Alpenfest, is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Swiss and Bavarian traditions. Contributions are tax deductible.

July 1, 2 & 3 – Folk Musician Hank Cramer performs music and tells stories from the old west at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., daily.

July 14 & 15 – Michael “Bad Hand” Terry presents his program “People of the Plains,” discussing history and traditions of Plains Indians, and his research and work in producing authentic replicas of tools, dress, and equipment of the Plains tribes. He will be in the Leo Adler Theater, from 10:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4 p.m.

July 15 & 16 – Blacksmith Gary Lewis demonstrates historic metal working techniques of the frontier era from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day

July 28 & 29 – Western singer Mary Kaye performs her “Spirit of the West” program with songs about the people, history, culture and landscapes that define this region Saturday, July 29 at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the Leo Adler Theater. Evening concert at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 28th (outside, weather permitting).

July 6, 13, & 20 – The Thursday Outdoor Club offers learning activities for youngsters to hone outdoor skills from 1 to 2 p.m.

Throughout the month, staff interpreters will offer a variety of living history programs, outdoor cooking demonstrations, history hikes, and gold panning along with demonstrations to help visitors learn about regional geology, frontier life ways, and outdoor skills. Contact the interpretive center for the daily schedule.

The Bureau of Land Management National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is located five miles east of Baker City, Oregon, on Highway 86. Take Exit 302 from I-84. The Center is currently open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Admission for adults is $8 and $4.50 for seniors; children 15 and under are admitted for free. Federal passes are also accepted. Call 541.523.1843 for updates on programs and events or visit oregontrail.blm.gov.

The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a thriving this Memorial Day Weekend. Check out the following activities, then go to the Wallowa County, Union County and Baker County websites for even more happenings. Have a safe, fun and meaningful Memorial holiday weekend.

Saturday, May 27th
Eagle Cap Excursion Train / Two River Bonus, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm, Elgin Depot
Following the Grande Ronde and Wallowa Rivers as they tumble their courses and join together at Rondowa, this longer ride takes you to Minam, before returning to Elgin. The ride offers beautiful views that can’t be seen from the highways. The scenery is fantastic! Lunch is included. Departs from Elgin Depot at 10 a.m. and returns at about 3:30 p.m.

La Grande Farmers’ Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon, and Tuesdays, 3:30 to 6 p.m.; Adams Ave. & Fourth St., Downtown La Grande
The La Grande Farmers’ Market is a seasonal open-air market featuring fresh local produce, baked goods, specialty foods, quality meat, eggs, garden products, arts, crafts, and live music. Enjoy shopping locally while interacting with farmers, artists, musicians, craftsman and friends. Also visit many of the market suppliers along the Cove-Union Farm Loop.

Wallowa County Farmers Market Opening Day, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m,, Joseph St. and Main St., Joseph
Spring Planting Fest/Opening Day for the Wallowa County Farmers’ Market!! Live music, plant starts, produce, handmade crafts, homemade baked goods and more!!

Lower Valley Farmers’ Market, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m,, 301 E. 1st St., Wallowa
Year-round indoor farmers market. Our mission is to increase our community’s access to fresh, local products from local producers and to offer a vibrant social gathering place.

Bigfoot Hot Air Balloons Is Open For The Season, 
Bigfoot Balloons is now open in Joseph, OR. We will be offering sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flights all summer long. We have 2 special pricing options for local Wallowa County and Union County residents. If you have a specific date that you would fly you may book our Shared Flight at $50 off per person and if you are flexible with your dates we will put you on a standby passenger list for our shared flight with a $100 per person discount. Look for us up in the sky at sunrise! To make reservations call 432-443-7994 or go to our website.

Joseph Branch Railriders Is Open for the Season
Joseph Branch Railriders will open  May 20  and end Oct 9, 2017  for our 4th season.  We will serve you five days a week, Thursday thru Monday.
Choose between the 2 hour Joseph departure or the 6 hour Minam adventure which includes a lunch break in Wallowa. Now is the time to plan ahead for your summer adventures. We are looking forward to seeing you all this summer. Online reservations are open and can be accessed through our website,

For most trips, the Eagle Cap Excursion Train departs at 10 a.m. from the Elgin Depot and returns around 2 p.m. For those trips, lunch is served on the train.

Rides this late-summer and fall season include train robberies, a photo run to capture the autumn colors, a Wine & Cheese Train and Brews & Brats. See the trip descriptions for details and the schedule.

To reserve your seat and ensure your lunch is on the train, make your reservations by 4 p.m., the Friday afternoon prior to the trip you want to take. The train can often handle some last-minute walk-on passengers, subject to seat availability. Those waiting to purchase tickets at the depot Saturday morning should arrive at the depot by 9 a.m. and should be aware some trains sell out.

Ticket prices are:  youth, 3 to 16 = $35 / adults = $70 / seniors 60+ = $65. Lunch is prepared by Ten Depot Street of La Grande and included in the ticket price. For train tickets and details on the excursions go to www.eaglecaptrainrides.com. Or, if you prefer to talk with an agent or want lodging options, contact Alegre Travel, 1.800.323.7330 or travel@alegretravel.com.

The historic Joseph Branch, now known as the Wallowa Union Railroad, was rescued from salvage in 2003 when the Wallowa and Union county governments formed the Wallowa Union Rail Authority and purchased the highly scenic railroad connecting Elgin with the Wallowa Valley. Volunteers with the Friends of the Joseph Branch, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, operate the train and depot, host passengers, renovate the passenger cars and preserve the history of the railroad.

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On June 18 and 19, Michael “Bad Hand” Terry presents his program “People of the Plains” in the Leo Adler Theater from 10:30 to noon and from 1:30 to 4:00. He will discuss history and traditions of the Plains Indians, as well as his research and work in producing authentic replicas of tools, dress, and equipment of the Plains tribes.

From June 22 through 28, featured performer Buffalo Bill Boycott presents programs daily at 11:00, 12:30, and 2:00 in the Leo Adler Theater. Boycott’s programs use folk music, both historic and contemporary, to tell stories about the Old West. Harmonizing with his partner “Dr. Jo,” Boycott’s music engages visitors in the spirit of the Old West with stories, songs, and traditional acoustic instrumentation. At 12:30 each day, he presents a program on Indian Sign Language, and how this style of communication was used to bridge the many cultures in frontier America.

For youngsters, the “Thursday Outdoor Club” starts its summer run June 16. The club features interactive programs aimed at the younger visitors and learning about nature. The Club meets Thursdays at 1:30. Attend one session, or all. It is free to all youngsters.

Living History programs in the Leo Adler Theater are scheduled daily, and include a variety of historic characters bringing history to life. Park Rangers are offering outdoor activities to include gold panning, black powder shooting demonstrations, and guided nature walks when weather permits.

“Wagons Ho! Experience the Oregon Trail” continues in the Flagstaff Gallery through July 4. This special exhibit uses costumes, life-sized games, puppets, and a full-scale packable pioneer wagon for youngsters to learn about Oregon heritage and the frontier adventure.

The Trail Center is located five miles east of Baker City, Oregon on Highway 86. Take Exit 302 from I-84. The Center is currently open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Admission for adults is $8.00; for seniors it’s $4.50; children 15 and under are admitted for free. Federal passes are accepted. Call (541) 523-1843 for updates on programs and events. For more information about the Trail Center visit www.oregontrail.blm.gov.

New this year is featured speakers and entertainment on most trips. Guest speakers give a brief introduction to their area of expertise, engage in conversation, point out highlights along the route and answer questions. (The 2012 excursion schedule will be announced in February.)

The railroad, in partnership with the Friends of the Joseph Branch, has refurbished the vintage 1938 Budd car, bringing excursion capacity to around 160 passengers. The car, which has been out of service for several years, was stripped to the walls and given a complete overhaul, including all new furniture, carpet, paint, electrical work, window seals and wainscoting. Book early as seats in the car are available on a first-come basis. The Friends provide the volunteer crew and assist with maintenance and upgrading of the passenger equipment.

For additional information and photos, go to www.eaglecaptrain.com. The Eagle Cap Excursion Train is owned and operated by Wallowa Union Railroad (WURR) on a stretch of the historic “Joseph Branch.” WURR is assisted by the Friends of the Joseph Branch, a non-profit organization that preserves and presents the history and enjoyment of the century-old rail line in Wallowa and Union Counties.