Events in Leavenworth
Oktoberfest and Christmastown lights anchor the year; May stacks Maifest, alphorn concerts, and accordion weekends.
What drives the calendar here?
Leavenworth schedules your trip around three big seasonal anchors: Oktoberfest in early October, Christmastown’s daily lights through late December, and a May cluster that runs from Celtic music through alphorns and accordion concerts. Between festival weekends, the town still breathes: river trails, downtown strolling, and day-trips toward Wenatchee Valley and Stevens Pass fill the quieter gaps.
Anchors & annual hooks
- Oktoberfest—Annual · October · three weekends — A three-weekend Bavarian celebration: three stages (Festhalle, Bierzelt, Gazebo/Front Street), live music and dancing, an outdoor street fair with food and vendors, and Saturday traditions like the Festzug and keg tapping.
2026 dates: October 2–3, 9–10, and 16–17; the page also notes ticket sales begin July 1, 2026 and that purchasing online is recommended.
- Cascade Celtic Festival (May in Leavenworth)—May · part of the Maifest cluster — A Celtic-focused spring weekend that sits alongside Maifest programming—music and heritage stories that start the May party before the traditional Bavarian weekend.
Maifest page lists the Cascade Celtic Festival as May 1–3.
- Traditional Maifest Celebration—Annual · May · Bavarian spring festival — Leavenworth’s 55-year spring tradition: parades and street music with dancers in traditional attire, plus the Maibaum (maypole) raising as the heart of the weekend.
2026: May 8–10 (Traditional Maifest Celebration). The same page frames this as part of events every weekend in May.
- Leavenworth International Alphorn Festival—Memorial Day weekend · May — An alphorn concert weekend organized with the Chamber and the Leavenworth Alphorn Association, presented alongside the NW Alphorn Workshop and performances by visiting players.
The official event listing we checked is May 23, 2026 (4–6pm) and it includes a schedule note for Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25 (procession/concert and an Alpine Showcase + concert).
- Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration (LIAC)—Annual · late June · multi-venue festival — A multi-day accordion celebration across Festhalle, Grange, and Gazebo with competitions, international performances, and a parade down Front Street.
LIAC 2026 dates: June 25–28, 2026 (from the combined schedule PDF).
- Christmastown: Village of Lights—Annual · late Nov–Dec · holiday lights — Half a million lights and Bavarian winter programming: Gazebo live music and carolers, Santa and photo moments, and Festhalle crafts/letters + gingerbread contest displays.
Christmastown festivities run November 27–December 24, 2026, with the lights described as on everyday (6 AM–11 PM) from Thanksgiving through the end of February.
Planning around the calendar
If you’re choosing between seasons, treat the town like three different destinations. Oktoberfest is a three-weekend crush—schedule lodging with that in mind, and expect downtown to be busiest during the main street-fair blocks. Christmastown is easier to pace if you treat it as a stroll-first plan (lights are daily, and daytime Festhalle/Gazebo programming sets the rhythm). May is a cluster: Maifest weekends and Memorial Day anchors stack, so if you want river trails and orchard day-trips, keep one “buffer day” where you’re not crossing town between festival venues. For anything outside the festival dates, use the town calendar and organizer pages because schedules can shift year to year.
Common questions
- Are the lights free to view, and when are Christmastown dates?—The Christmastown page describes the displays as free to enjoy and lists festivities for November 27–December 24, 2026. It also describes the lights as on everyday from 6 AM–11 PM starting Thanksgiving through the end of February.
- How many weekends is Oktoberfest?—Oktoberfest is three weekends in 2026: October 2–3, 9–10, and 16–17, with the page noting ticket sales begin July 1, 2026.
- Is Maifest one weekend or multiple events?—The Maifest page frames May as “events every weekend in May.” It also calls out the Traditional Maifest Celebration specifically as May 8–10 (and lists the Cascade Celtic Festival as May 1–3).
- When is LIAC (accordion festival) in Leavenworth?—LIAC 2026 dates are June 25–28, 2026 (per the combined schedule PDF on the Accordion Celeb site).