The small town of Leavenworth is tucked in the Cascades of central Washington. A couple decades back, the town recast a small part of itself as a Bavarian village. Each year, Leavenworth becomes a Christmas holiday destination complete with trimmings. The store fronts may look Bavarian, and some of the stores even have a few German goods (mostly beers and sausage); but most of the shops are gift and chotchke shops.
What attracts visitors are the events. Every Saturday and Sunday night during December, Leavenworth holds a tree lighting ceremony host by city dignitaries and three Santa Clauses (St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, and Santa Claus). My friend Doug and I drove up from Seattle to partake. Below are pics from our visit.
