Bavarian Bulletin - September 1, 2026 Edition

The Bavarian Bulletin

Oktoberfest Ambassador Applications Are Live Today!

Applications for the 2026 Oktoberfest Ambassador program for member nonprofits went live today! Your organization could raise $1200 or $2500 per weekend!

We will have two groups of six each day to help us with the line management prior to and after opening the gates and helping us manage the Kinderplatz tent activities.

LEARN MORE & APPLY

New Member Service Directory Mailed Next Week

Households throughout the 98826 area will soon receive our yearly Chamber Member Service Directory, a handy guide for locals to find trusted local services right in our community. The guide will also be available as a flip book on the website's services page. As you use it, take a moment to thank the businesses listed for supporting the work of the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, and remember, the best way to say thanks is with your business!

Vote Daily for Leavenworth!
Hallmark Channel's Contest Ends September 4th

Time is running out! Leavenworth is officially a finalist for Hallmark Channel's "Merriest Christmas Towns," and we need your help to bring home the win! The public can vote once daily (email verification required) through September 4 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, so please vote every single day between now and then, and encourage your staff, customers, and community to do the same.

While votes signal community enthusiasm, a judging panel makes the final call based on community spirit, holiday traditions, charm, and goodwill, so every vote helps show them why Leavenworth deserves to win. The grand prize is a future Hallmark Christmas movie filmed right here on location, with the winner announced around October 31. A Hallmark movie filmed in town isn't a one-week news cycle, it's sustained, evergreen exposure. Hallmark Christmas movies get rerun for years, meaning Leavenworth's storefronts, streets, and mountain backdrop would be marketed to national audiences every holiday season indefinitely, at zero cost to the town. Let's make it happen, vote today!

VOTE HERE

Get Extra Exposure This Fall-Advertise in the 2026 Oktoberfest Program

Looking for some additional exposure this fall? Ad space is still available in the 2026 Oktoberfest program!

The program heads to print soon and will be distributed to local member businesses by mid-September, as well as handed out at the event itself. Beyond the 8,000 printed copies, the program is also converted into a digital flipbook posted at Leavenworth.org/Oktoberfest, our 4th most-visited page, with the flipbook alone averaging over 12,000 readers.

Ads still available:

Quarter Page — $250 (3.5"w x 4.8"h)
Half Page — $500 (7"w x 4.8"h)
Back Cover — $750 (with bleed, 8.815"w x 11.315"h; 8.5"x11" with .5" margin)

If you're interested, let us know by September 4th. We're happy to help create the ad for you if needed.

EMAIL US

Media Matters

How Influencer Marketing Fits into Our Fall and Winter Marketing Mix

As we head into fall and winter, influencer marketing is one of the tools we're using alongside our broader advertising efforts, and it's worth explaining why it helps.

Wildfire smoke season put us on the map in a way we didn't ask for. We were never in the path of danger, but media coverage often uses well-known locations like ours as a geographic reference point, and that association can linger with audiences after the smoke clears. Some people aren't sure if we're open, if it's safe, or what a visit even looks like right now. That's a gap influencer marketing is well suited to help close.

Influencer marketing works because it's personal. Instead of just telling people we're open for business, trusted creators can show it, sharing real, current visits with audiences who already know and follow this destination. A visitor voice saying "I was just here and it's beautiful" can cut through skepticism in a way traditional advertising alone can't, because it comes from someone the audience already trusts.

This fall and winter, we're bringing in more influencers than usual, focusing on our core proven-visitor markets in Puget Sound and Portland. Alongside our top-of-mind and targeted advertising, their content helps give people a real, current look at what a visit looks like post-smoke: fall colors, festivals, cozy winter charm, and unique experiences at a destination that's open and ready for them.

It's one more direct way to get our message in front of the people most likely to come back, and a great way to reach those who were considering a visit but hadn't yet made the decision.

Learn more about Leavenworth Area Promotions (LAP) here

Chelan PUD Moving Power Line Underground Along Highway 2

WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Chelan PUD is moving an aging overhead power line in Tumwater Canyon underground along Highway 2, improving reliability and reducing wildfire and safety risks.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Crews will work along Highway 2 (milepost 94.5–99) to install underground conduit and cable. Expect construction vehicles, work zones and traffic delays.

Timeline: September 9 – October 30, 2026
Hours: Mon–Fri, ~6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Traffic: Flaggers, single-lane closures as needed — slow down and allow extra time
Power: Brief scheduled outages; affected customers notified in advance
Work involved: Trenching/boring, underground line and equipment installation, removal of existing poles and overhead wires

Learn more here.

FOOTFALLS

Week 34, 2026. 24 Aug 2026 - 30 Aug 2026

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