Helvetia Culture Fest – Helvetia, Oregon

In August one of my good friends asked if I wanted to go to Helvetia Culture Fest. I hadn’t seen her in a while and the Helvetia Tavern makes one of my all time favorite hamburgers. So with visions of spending the day with a good friend and fatty fried food dancing in my head I said yes.

**Looking south into the Tualitan Valley**

Later I decided it might be a good idea to read up on the actual event to see what my hamburger fever made me agree to. Well turns out it is an event in the small farming community of Helvetia Oregon, intended to celebrate the original Native American inhabitant the Tualatins and the “Swiss-German settlers who came to the area in the 1870s”.

**Too pretty to not take more than one picture of the valley**

On a personal note my family homesteaded the North Plains and Helvetia areas, one such family Swiss immigrants from Grindelwald Switzerland.

**Cedar barn that held the indoor portion of the festivities**

The festival itself was small, located on an alpaca farm overlooking the Tualatin Valley. The events for the day included several readings by the local poet laureate, a performance by the Painted Sky Dancers, local culture expert Ginny Maples, a pie walk, silent auction, German food and drinks as well as several local vendors.

**Painted Sky Dancers**

It was a small festival, but really very nice, the food was great and everyone was happy and kind. It wouldn’t be on the top of my to-do list again but I did thoroughly enjoy myself.
Questions:
Do you enjoy cultural festivals. What is one of the most memorable you have attended?