Heritage Village Hosts Germanfest and Demonstrations

Blacksmith Steve at an anvil. Submitted.

The Door County Historical Society’s interpretive site, Heritage Village at Big Creek, begins its season on June 18 with a salute to German Heritage at Germanfest. Guests will “Prost” (toast) everything German. Wear your dirndl or lederhosen or come and learn what they are.

The festival will be held from 11 am – 2 pm, with music, food, blacksmith demonstrations, and presentations on German immigration to America. Presenters Jerry and Nancy Krause, long-term Heritage Village volunteers, will dialogue about German-speaking people coming to America. They will have a show-and-tell of typical items that people brought with them, packed in their trunks. The program will be in the Vignes School at 11:30 am and 1 pm. Helen Cordon will play “oom-pa-pa” accordion music ranging from polkas to German folk songs. There will also be German food.

Also at Heritage Village, Mary Silver will demonstrate fabric dying using indigo dye on June 24 at 1 pm. Indigo is a fun demonstration because it is a fast dye that changes colors as it oxidizes.

Blacksmiths will demonstrate their skills from 1 – 3 pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through September. For those interested in learning the blacksmithing trade, classes are scheduled as needed. The blacksmiths wares are for sale in the Greene General Store and the blacksmiths are frequently called upon to do custom work.

Guest adult admission to the Village is $5 and kids are admitted for free. The Village is open for self-guided tours Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 am – 3 pm, beginning June 18, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 am – 3 pm, and Sundays, 1 – 3 pm.

The Heritage Village at Big Creek is located at 2041 Michigan Street in Sturgeon Bay. For more information, call 920.421.2332 or email [email protected].