Bavarian Bulletin - August 18,  2026 Edition

Join us at the City's Community Block Party this Thursday, August 20th from 4-7pm! Stop by our table to chat about Oktoberfest hiring and entertainment, get a first look at the upcoming Shop Local Service Directory, check out our Travel Advisories resource page, and ask us anything Leavenworth!

We're excited to share that a brand-new Services Directory is officially at the printer! This handy guide will be mailed directly to every household in the 98826 zip code and will also live on leavenworth.org as an interactive flip guide, making it easier than ever for locals and visitors alike to find the services, resources, and businesses that make our community run. Keep an eye on your mailbox, it'll be arriving soon!

Join us for our next Member Mixer, a great chance to connect with fellow Chamber members, meet new business owners in the community, and enjoy some casual networking over food and drinks. Details below, we hope to see you there!

Member Mixer – Thursday August 27th

Where: Ski Hill

When: 5pm-7pm

How We're Responding to This Summer's Visitation Dip

Like many destinations across the Pacific Northwest, Leavenworth has seen a drop in visitation this summer, driven largely by the Little Giant Fire near Lake Wenatchee and the wildfire smoke that has accompanied it. Coupled with a dry winter, higher gas prices, the downturn in Canadian visitation, and election year drag on the horizon, we know this affects your business, and we want you to know that we're being deliberate about how we respond.

Here's what Leavenworth Area Promotions has been doing behind the scenes (and in front of the camera) to keep Leavenworth top of mind and help guests feel confident about visiting.

Strategic, condition-based social media Rather than posting on autopilot, we're adjusting our content to match what's actually happening outside. On clear days, we're getting out for live shots of our blue skies and mountain views, the kind of content that reminds people why they wanted to visit in the first place. On smoky days, we shift the spotlight to indoor experiences: tasting rooms, shopping, museums, and dining, so there's always a reason to come even when the view is hazy. We're also using this window to promote what's ahead, fall color, festivals, and the holiday season, so we're building future demand even during a soft stretch.

A refreshed travel advisory page We've launched an updated travel advisory page on leavenworth.org built specifically for guests who are checking on current conditions before they book or travel. It gives visitors a clear, calm, up-to-date picture instead of leaving them to guess from outdated news coverage. It's also a great tool for your front line staff! Check it out here!

Live webcam visibility We're pushing our live webcam views more actively across our channels. Nothing reassures a hesitant traveler like seeing real-time proof of what conditions actually look like right now, and in most cases clearer than what the media lead them to believe.   

The advisory webpage and webcams are tools that help us encourage people to check conditions closer to their travel/cancellation date rather than making a decision based on what they read weeks out.

Boosted fall and winter marketing We're not just playing defense. We're adding to our fall and winter marketing outreach now, putting more resources behind the already planned campaigns that will carry momentum into the next two seasons.

What you can do If you're fielding questions from guests about conditions, feel free to point them to our travel advisory page and our live webcams, both are built to give them the confidence to book. And if you're seeing shifts in your own booking patterns, let us know. That input helps us fine-tune where we focus our marketing efforts next.

We'll keep you posted as conditions evolve. Thanks for continuing to be Leavenworth's best ambassadors, even in a smoky season.

_{* Remember, these are footfalls counted by five camera locations on Front Street. The numbers are NOT individual people counts, those numbers would be lower.}

Oktoberfest 2026 tickets are on sale here: Oktoberfest event page.  

You can still become a sponsor of Oktoberfest, more information can be found here.

Orion River Rafting • Glory Days Vintage • Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration • The Hat Shop • Red Bell Christmas Motel • Blue Elk Inn • Leavenworth Lions Club • Obertal Inn• WaFd Bank • Faith Lutheran Church • Leavenworth Great Escapes • All Seasons River Inn • Mountain Country Corner • Icicle Village Resort • Chateau Faire Le Pont - Leavenworth Tasting Room • The Suites on Main  • A Book For All Seasons • Dan’s Food Market 

Websites
Leavenworthchamber.org
Leavenworth.org

Our mailing address is:
Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce

PO Box 327
940 Highway 2 Suite B
Leavenworth, WA 98826-0327

If you have questions, please call us at (509)548-5807

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