Gemuetlichkeit Days Celebrates 40 Years

Published On: Sunday, September 12, 2010 – By Katie Otto – Categories: Blog – Tags: euchre, Gemuetlichkeit, German, Jefferson County, parade, saurkraut –

Did you know that Jefferson County has royalty? Every year, a king and queen are chosen to reign over Gemuetlichkeit Days, a festival inspired by the German heritage of many of the residents who live in and near Jefferson. This year, the festival’s 40th anniversary, Charlie and Deb Wedl have been crowned King and Queen and will lead the parade and festivities for the weekend-long celebration.

Come to Jefferson County Fair Park September 17-19, 2010 for a full three days of fun. From the “Ceremonial Tapping of the First Keg” to euchre tournaments; from the ethnic costume contests and craft fair to the road rally; from the German food contest to the live music that will have you dancing the night away, the weekend is full of frivolity, laughter and events that celebrate the exuberance Germans are known for.

Be sure to head to downtown Jefferson for the Bed Races on Sunday morning and the Giant Gemuetlichkeit Days Parade at noon. And for those who brag about their stellar balancing capabilities, entering the Stein Carrying Contest on Sunday afternoon after the parade is a must.

Between the food, the music, the fun events and the parade, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Jefferson at Gemuetlichkeit Days. And if that’s not enough to get you to come – be advised that your King and Queen have declared that “Attendance is Mandatory!!”

For additional information and a full list of events each day, see www.gdays.org.

Katie Otto

Katie was the Executive Director of the Lake Mills Main Street Program from 2011 to 2019 and was the Secretary for the Jefferson County Tourism Council. In 2019, she retired to explore a new fashion degree and travel throughout the world. Katie was also a writer and contributed a great deal of copy for our website and printed guide. She was a great asset to our organization and we'll miss her!