Alp yourself
to a day of Swiss fun at Schwingfest in Tillamook
By Chelsea Yarnell
For the TODAY
Gruëzi!
From the crowning of the Schwing king to the plates of schnitzel, the 2024 Spring Schwingfest & Swiss Stomp will be all things Swiss.
The event will be hosted at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds this Saturday, April 27.
The packed schedule includes a Schwing and Steinstossen competition, dance lessons, specialty keg tapping and dinner — all leading up to a Swiss Stomp on the dancefloor.
“The Swiss population here is so meaningful historically, economically and socially,” said event coordinator Julie Hurliman. “I felt like we needed to acknowledge it countywide, not just limited to the past and present members of the Tillamook Swiss Society.”
There is an admission fee to attend the event, and for food and drink, but once inside all the fun is included.
Swiss sports will kick-off the festival with the Schwing and Steinstossen competitions.
Schwing, also known as Swiss Alpine wrestling, is a style of wrestling native to Switzerland. Schwingen matches take place in a sawdust ring. The match begins with each contestant grasping the belt of their opponent’s Schwingerhosen (wrestling pants) with the goal of pinning their adversary to the ground. Competitors earn points for moves and pins, with a winner being crowned at the end. One wrestler will win the Schönschwinger award, which translates to “beautiful wrestler.” This is based on technique and style. They might not win the entire event, but the award shows that the judges really liked what they saw.
“Schwingfest fans are pretty hardcore,” Hurliman said. “We know this is the only ‘hallen’ (indoor) Schwingfest on the West Coast, and we believe it is the only indoor competition held in the United States. Folks are traveling from California and Washington just for this competition.”
Hurliman noted that while most of the wrestlers will be from out of town, there are a few Tillamook County competitors making a debut. Wrestlers must have attended two Schwing practices in order to compete.
“There won’t just be unknown faces,” she said. “I’ve been consistently impressed with the quality of athletes.”
Steinstossen, or Swiss stone throwing, is open to all who wish to participate. The furthest overhead throw of the stone into the pit wins. The weight of the stone differs for divisions with men’s stones weighing 38 pounds, women and kids aged 15 and older throwing 21 pounds, and kids age 14 and younger throwing 8.5 pounds.
“We wanted to have something that visitors could participate in,” Hurliman said. “At Tillamook Swiss Society picnics we all participate in Steinstossen. It’s traditional, and a fun way to get involved.”
In addition to the athletic competitions, a cultural heritage display will highlight the ways in which the Swiss people have a historical influence and presence in the Tillamook community. A Kindergarten area will also feature a face painter, cotton candy, popcorn, fresh-squeezed lemonade and Italian Soda. There will be kids’ games like giant Jenga and Connect 4, a parachute game, coloring pages and cornhole. Win prizes during the family-friendly Volkswalk, something like a cakewalk.
Swiss cuisine will be provided by Garibaldi Portside Bistro, serving up chicken and pork schnitzel dinners. Presale is required for the plated dinner. The Tillamook Swiss Society will serve polish dogs, cheesy polish dogs, hotdogs, sauerkraut, chips and pretzels.
Werner Beef and Brew is brewing a special festival lager for the event.
“We don’t usually brew a lager or have it on tap, so you will only be able to get it here,” said Werner Operations and Brewing Manager Gary Mayland. “Lots of love has been poured into it. We’ve been looking forward to it all year. It’s a special formulation that only comes out every so often.”
Roughly 50 servings of the specialty lager will be served from a traditional firkins keg. Tokens will be sold for $20 and come with a commemorative stein. Additional servings from a modern keg will also be available for purchase.
Rounding out the evening is an open dance floor for the Swiss Stomp accompanied by the Polkatones.
“It will be traditional Swiss music. You wouldn’t have a Schwingfest without live music,” Hurliman said. “This will be a really fun, cultural heritage event. I think we do a good job at presenting authentic traditions. It’s a fun peek into Swiss food and beer. Plus, the vibe at these events…you can’t be in a bad mood and listen to polka music.”
The Saturday, April 27, event runs from 11 am to 11 pm. Admission is $12 per person, $20 per couple, $8 for kids aged six through 17 and free for kids five years and younger. A family pack (two adults and two kids) can also be purchased for $30. The Tillamook County Fairgrounds is located at 4603 3rd Street. For more information, go to the Tillamook Swiss Society page in Facebook.