Between Leavenworth and Mount Angel, we in the Pacific Northwest are truly spoiled when it comes to Bavarian towns and their assorted festivities. I am a tremendous fan of any town that embraces an unique identity, even for touristy reasons. Unlike Leavenworth, though, Mount Angel has a legitimate claim to its Bavarian roots, thanks in part to the Benedictine abbey atop the hill on the outskirts of town. But even more than that, Mount Angel has embraced the cuisine, music, culture and spirit of that beer-loving region half a world away, and we are all made the richer for it! In the "off-season", Mount Angel is a sleepy, out of the way village with rich heritage: it is the site of the aforementioned Benedictine abbey/monastery/seminary, a gorgeous Catholic cathedral, an enchanting Glockenspiel, and several other callbacks to its European roots. But during the festival months (mid-September, as well as Volksfest in the spring, a Christmas market, etc), the town swells by an order of magnitude, as myriad tourists from all over the region pour in, and myriad mugs and steins are poured into as well. Additionally, a handful of year-round shops and restaurants based in Mount Angel do the heavy lifting when it comes to the offering Oktoberfest essentials: Mount Angel Sausage Co, Touch of Bavaria, Angel Mountain Christmas, and the always exceptional (and recently revived from the dead) Glockenspiel restaurant! If you need a bratwurst, a dirndl, and/or some ornaments for the holiday season now looming on the horizon, these should be your erste wahl! I love this town, and I'm so very thankful that it's only a short hour's drive away from home (FAR more accessible than Leavenworth!). There's a lot more to Mount Angel than its Oktoberfest (although it truly is the best around!), and worth a visit just about any time of the year. This is a community that revels in its heritage, and celebrates in style (and plenty of beer), as often as possible. What's not to love? read more

This is a great little town. I have so many memories here. School, friends, Oktoberfest, swimming lessons, my parents restaurant, graduation, the abbey, farming, and so on. All the years of growing up and now so many years being away. This is a great little town to visit. The Catholic church is at the center of town and you can't miss it. The catholic priests live at the abbey at the top of the hill. Every year they celebrate the harvest by having an Oktoberfest. Its a great celebration of food and fun. If you have a chance to visit Mt. Angel, you should. It's not very big. It won't take long to visit, but its well worth the time. read more

Mt Angel - Elementary Schools Near Me - Mount Angel, Oregon