Leavenworth, Washington, has become a holiday hotspot, transforming from a fading mining town into the Pacific Northwest’s festive capital.
Nestled in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth is an enchanting, Bavarian-style village that’s hard to believe exists – let alone thrives as the Christmas capital of the Pacific Northwest.
This unlikely holiday haven has an extraordinary backstory. In the 1960s, after the town’s mines and sawmills closed, Leavenworth was on the brink of becoming a ghost town. In a bold move to revitalise their community, local business owners transformed the town into a picturesque Bavarian village, borrowing a page from Germany’s charming alpine towns.
Today, the streets are lined with colourful buildings, festive lights, and the irresistible scent of bratwurst and pretzels. And it’s not just the architecture that takes its lead from the Alpine region and its folklore – it’s also Christmas events like the Krampuslauf procession, where people (traditionally young men) dressed as the horned Krampus attempt to scare the audience.
Some three million visitors paid a visit to the village last year, according to Matt Cade, president of the Greater Leavenworth Museum. While Leavenworth is a year-round destination for adventurers and day-trippers – with hikers and skiers, river rafters and fly-fishers among the hordes – it truly comes alive during the festive season.
Beyond the Christmas markets, carollers, and twinkling lights, the influx of visitors has raised concerns about the rising cost of living, leading to recent efforts – such as state funding for affordable housing – to help ensure that workers in the tourism industry can afford to live in the town.
