Frankenmuth, Michigan · Est. 1845
Little Bavaria,
the local way.
Chicken dinners, the Glockenspiel, a brewery that dates to 1862 and a town that celebrates something almost every month. Here's how to do Frankenmuth well, from people who live and work nearby.
Main Street Bar Crawl
Ten stops from the north end to the Cass River, plus how the Social District cups work.
Festivals & events
Snowfest, the Bavarian Festival, Auto Fest, Oktoberfest and the Christmas season, all in one calendar.
The story of Frankenmuth
Why a little Michigan town on the Cass River feels like Franconia.
Happening soon
Scarecrow Fest
Scarecrows line River Place Shops for the last two weekends of October.
Christmas Experience Kickoff
The day after Thanksgiving, Frankenmuth goes all-in on Christmas.
Zehnder's Snowfest
Snow and ice sculptures all over town.
A town named for courage
In 1845, a small group of Lutheran settlers from around Roßtal in Franconia, a region of Bavaria, sailed for America and founded a mission settlement on the Cass River. They called it Frankenmuth: Franken for Franconia, and Mut, German for courage.
That heritage never faded. Today you'll hear the Glockenspiel ring, walk across a covered bridge over the Cass River, eat family-style chicken dinners and raise a stein at festivals the town has held for generations.