 Festivals
New Glarus hosts a full complement of heritage-drenched festivals and special events all four seasons of the year. Traditional Swiss clothing, customs, history, cheese, language, music, folk arts, dance, customs, food and drink are featured. And, of course we wouldn't be American's Little Switzerland without Wilhelm Tell, the Heidi Festival, and Volksfest -- a celebration of Swiss Independence Day. Both are prominently featured.
New Glarus
New Glarus is where the rich Swiss character and flavor of Green County began. In 1845, a party of 108 emigrants from the Canton of Glarus arrived and formed the Swiss colony of New Glarus. Despite the passage of more than 150 years, New Glarus hasn't forgotten its roots. Flowerboxes filled with geraniums, folk art adorning the buildings, German-Swiss language street signs, shops bursting with Swiss goods, an Old World butcher shop, a bakery filled with the scents and tastes of Switzerland, restaurants featuring Swiss cuisine, chalet-style houses and businesses -- all reinforce the roots of this special community and county.
 Listen carefully and you might hear the German-Swiss dialect being spoken on the streets.
- Explore the Swiss church and museums.
- Stop in Puempels Olde Tavern in the afternoon and watch the card game, Yass, being played.
- Listen to the names. Notice all the Heidi's and Hans'?
- Look at the names of the businesses: Chalet Landhaus, Glarner Stube, Edelweiss Chalet, Ruef's Meat Market, Hoesly's Meats, Puempels Olde Tavern, Blumenladen, and many more
- See the proud display of Swiss canton shields and emblems of heraldry.
- Check out the Brown Swiss cows dotting the hillsides.
New Glarus' ties with Switzerland remain strong. Swiss guests come visit their cousins -- and vice versa -- often. Remember, it's 4,444 miles to Switzerland, but just a short drive to America's Little Switzerland.
Food and Drink
 Yes, we know you expect cheese -- and we have wheels and blocks and slices of delicious, Green County-crafted cheeses. But our Swiss restaurants also feature cheese and beef fondue, Schnitzel, Geschnetzelets, Swiss meatballs, Roesti potatoes, Spatzli dumplings, and much more. At Ruef's Meat Market, try some traditional Kalberwurst, Mettwurst, and Landjaeger. Swiss breads and pastries are, naturally, special features of the New Glarus Bakery right next door. (Come to think of it, how many American villages of 1500 have a butcher and a baker?)
At Ticino's, named for the Italian-speaking Canton in Switzerland, Swiss-style pizza -- surprise! -- is a treat. A Swiss-trained chef guarantees authentic cuisine at the New Glarus Hotel and Chalet Landhaus. And nearly every restaurant has a Swiss favorite on the menu.
Baumgartner's in Monroe is another must-see, must-experience locale. It's the oldest cheese store in continuous operation in Wisconsin. Cheese, meats, beer, and soft drinks -- that's all they serve -- set in a Swiss-American atmosphere on the National Register Courthouse Square. Turner Hall, a Swiss-style Turnverein (gymnastics) site, also features an authentic ratskellar and collections of Swiss memorabilia. It is also on the National Register of Historic Sites.
 Two Green County breweries, Minhas Craft Brewery in Monroe and New Glarus Brewery in New Glarus, provide the hearty beers that complement your meal.
Folk Arts
Swiss folk painting (Bauernmalerei), Swiss cabinetry, Alpine scissor cutting (Scherenschnitte), flag throwing, Thalerschwingen, alphorn blowing, knitting, wood carving, and more are still practiced, honed, and shared with our guests.
Music
Yodeling is as Swiss as it gets. And New Glarus has the Swiss Yodel Club and Maennerchor to entertain at festivals and special events. The Maennerchor also performs traditional Swiss folk tunes. And the Monroe Swiss Singers also make numerous performances in traditional costumes representing the cantons and communities of Switzerland.
Even the local children get involved, with the youngest singers in Kinderchor (children's choir) and a newly formed Jugendchorli - for youthful singers grades four and up.
Guests and local residents alike enjoy numerous opportunities for an authentic touch of traditional entertainment at Polka Fests in both New Glarus and Monroe. Many celebrations also feature alphorns, accordions, and schwyzeroergelis (Swiss button boxes).
Museums
The Swiss Historical Village Museum brings to life the early history of the fledgling Swiss colony of New Glarus. The Chalet of the Golden Fleece, also in New Glarus, is an authentic replica of a Swiss Bernese mountain chalet. Turner Hall in Monroe has wall exhibits of gymnasts, performers, and Swiss wrestlers, complemented by folk art paintings and inscriptions. The Historic Cheesemaking Center, also in Monroe, highlights the tales and tools of Green County cheesemakers, most of them of Swiss descent.
 Around the County
Besides the chalet-style architecture so prominently exhibited, the rural countryside -- particularly around New Glarus, Monticello, and Monroe -- features Brown Swiss cows, barns and outbuildings with Swiss architectural influences, and Swiss names on barns and mailboxes.
There's more Swiss-ness to be experienced, of course. Part of our job is to give you lots of ideas to get you started, but not tell you everything. That way, you can explore, discover, and create your own unique Swiss experience. We invite you to come learn about our people, customs, and heritage.
Swiss Center of North America
Coming soon! The first location in the United States and Canada that will highlight Swiss contributions to society, document Swiss migration, celebrate Swiss culture, and house Swiss artifacts and collections. www.swisscenterna.com
Willkommen!
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