August 18, 2025 Edition

Thank you to those members who were able to attend the mixer on the 13th! We received a lot of great feedback on the speed networking format so we will be making some refinements and bringing it back at a future event.

Applications for the 2025 Oktoberfest Ambassador program for member nonprofits goes live this Thursday the 19th.  The program has been retooled based on changes made to the layout of Oktoberfest; we are going form three programs to two. Due to no longer having food service inside the Festhalle, the program that supported that operation has been merged with the Kinderplatz Ambassador duties.

The biggest change being made is to the Kinderplatz which will no longer have an admission fee to enter. With this change new rides, carnival games, and a snack shack have been added. Helping with these additions’ responsibilities will be the primary role of this team. Aside from some itinerary changes to the duties performed, the Trachten Troupe Ambassador program will be returning as well.  

While we understand that losing a program will eliminate some opportunities for our member nonprofits during Oktoberfest, we are picking up what is being lost with an expansion of the Ambassador program for Christmastown! Stay tuned for that!

Weekend Summary:

Rainy weather on Friday slowed river recreation this weekend, but the cooler temperatures pushed large numbers of recreators to trailheads. Four volunteers from Chelan County Mountain Rescue staffed Eightmile and Stuart Lake Trailheads, interacting with nearly 1000 visitors this weekend. Volunteers reported that parking was backed up a full mile past Eightmile trailhead. Six volunteers from Cascade Medical Foundation assisted at Barn Beach, Icicle Bridge, and the E. Leavenworth Boat Launch, interacting with 164 recreators. Friday, staff assisted visitors at Stuart Lake, and Eightmile trailheads. Staff are now stationed at Eightmile and Stuart Lake trailheads Friday and Monday due to high usage.

Volunteer Impact:

• Visitor Interactions: 1163 (-2329 from last week, +58 from same week last year)
• Trash Removed: 7, 30-Gallon Bags

Survey Highlights (104 respondents):

Visitor Origin:

• 13% of trail users surveyed were from Chelan County
• 48% of trail users surveyed were from Washington State
• International visitors came from Italy, Hong Kong, and Australia

Recreation Type:

• 52% of hikers surveyed were headed to Colchuck Lake or Stuart Lake
• Most river recreators were using tubes

Conditions Reported:

• Reports of human waste, trash, and unsanitary trailhead restroom conditions are all increasing
• 15% of hikers surveyed reported issues with human waste on trails
• 29% of hikers surveyed reported issues with trash on trails
• 40% of hikers surveyed reported downed logs on trails

Post-Recreation Plans:

• 45% of respondents planned to visit a restaurant after their float or hike
• 36% of respondents planned to return home or to their lodging immediately after their activity

Transportation & Parking

• The City’s free shuttle continues to see high usage with some recreators taking 2-3 laps in a day using the shuttle
• The CCSO continues to enforce the parking ban along Icicle Road near the Icicle Bridge River Access. Avoid parking along the road near the bridge to ensure you are not ticketed.

For more information about the program, or to register as a backup volunteer please email Matt at Recreation@leavenworth.org.

Headlines

_{REMINDER: The numbers shown below are footfalls; the counting of the number of times a person walks by the camera, not the number of individual people that do so. The reports are based on the retail calendar for 2025.} 

Sponsorship packages for Kinderplatz, Give a Schnitzel and Prost still available until September 1st.

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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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