GAYLORD -- The town of Gaylord stepped out in its Alpine garb, perhaps the only place around where lederhosen and blumen kranz are trendy fashions.
Hundreds came to Alpenfest Wednesday morning, the first full day of scheduled events at downtown Gaylord's annual community festival. The streets were full of men, women and children wearing lederhosen and dirndl dresses, with the ladies crowned with flowering blumen kranz.
"It's a fun family event and it's great for the kids to come out and see everyone dressed up," said Ashley Johnson, of Gaylord, who wore a dirndl dress in the walking parade along with her 2-year-old daughter, Lucy.
Musician Nancy Fako of Interlochen led the parade and carried the large alphorn, something she's done for 20 years.
"I'll stop and play every once in a while when we've got a crowd," she said.
Jeanine Wambold, of Gaylord, walked in the parade down Main Street, holding the hands of two neighbor children, Jacob and Elise Book, 6 and 4, respectively. Alpenfest is required summer fare in Gaylord, she said.
"It's a family tradition, even though our kids are grown and gone. It's a part of being from Gaylord," Wambold said.
Visitor Janet Smith, 81, of Houghton Lake grabbed the attention of newly crowned Alpenfest Queen Leah Rolinski of Gaylord.
"It's her last wish to come to Alpenfest," Rolinski said.
Smith is under hospice care in Houghton Lake for terminal lung disease, but her caretakers brought her to the Alpine village for one more festival.
"I love to hear the alphorn played, see all the dirndl dresses. This is great," Smith said.
The Alpine clothing and music brought back vivid memories for Smith, who was in the U.S. Air Force and stationed in Germany for four years in the 1950s. She loved her time in Europe and even returned as a tourist when she was discharged from the military, Smith said.
"I didn't want to come home," she said.
Other Alpenfest-goers buck traditions, including real estate agent Erin Todd of Coldwell Banker. She wears a pair of men's lederhosen each year when she volunteers at the world's largest coffee break event that immediately follows the walking parade.
"I don't like wearing the dress," she said, laughing about oft-repeated gender confusion jokes.
Alpenfest events continue today through Saturday. Call (989) 732-4000 for more information.
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