Every year, thousands of visitors, including hundreds of Swiss tourists, are drawn to New Glarus to enjoy the atmosphere that thrives here and nowhere else outside of Switzerland. When you arrive at the village entrance, you will quickly understand its popularity as a destination. With small town friendliness and enthusiasm, New Glarus is proud to share its Swiss heritage, its chalet-style architecture, its two fine museums, its famous ethnic festivals, and a wealth of specialty shops and restaurants serving savory Swiss food.

Heidi Festival Weekend is filled with great food, entertainment, music, and fun for the whole family and is held the last full weekend in June. The weekend highlight is the presentation of Johanna Spyri’s classic play, Heidi. It’s the heartwarming story of the young girl with braids, Heidi, her gruff grandfather, and their love of the Majestic Alps of Switzerland. Four performances are staged by local actors in a warm presentation that includes live goats and kittens on stage! The Wilhelm Tell Festival has been a New Glarus Labor Day weekend tradition since 1938. Join us as our community tells the story of how Wilhelm Tell, his crossbow, and an apple helped Switzerland gain independence. See and hear how frisky goats, mooing cows, and whinnying horses bring the story to life on the natural outdoor stage to create a unique theatrical experience.

New Glarus is also the starting point for the 23-mile long Sugar River Bike Trail, and New Glarus Woods State Park is less than a mile from the edge of the village. So whether your tastes run to shopping all day, polka-ing all night, hiking, biking, golfing, or paying a visit to lovingly maintained local museums you’ll find plenty to do in New Glarus. Come experience the ethnic spirit and the European flavor that residents have nurtured – and love to share – for over 150 years.