Wilhelm Tell Festival

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Cultural & TraditionalNew Glarus
DatesDates TBA · Usually AugustCheck locally before booking
DurationSummerEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLiving tradition, ritual symbolsFew American festivals stage a full
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryCultural & TraditionalFestival type
The story

Wilhelm Tell Festival in New Glarus

The Wilhelm Tell Festival is a Labor Day weekend celebration in New Glarus, Wisconsin, centered on an outdoor community performance of Friedrich Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell, staged in German and English on alternating days since 1938. The surrounding Swiss Volksfest adds a parade, yodeling, alphorn playing, and folk dancing, drawing on the Swiss heritage of a village founded in 1845 by immigrants from Canton Glarus.

New Glarus was founded in 1845 by Swiss immigrants from Canton Glarus, and the village has spent much of the time since actively preserving that founding identity rather than letting it fade into a footnote of local history.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Few American festivals stage a full theatrical production as their centerpiece the way New Glarus does with Wilhelm Tell, a community-performed adaptation of Schiller's classic Swiss drama about the legendary marksman who defied Austrian rule, presented outdoors since 1938 and alternating between German and English performances across the weekend

02

The mystery stays covered

That bilingual structure keeps the production accessible to English-speaking visitors while preserving the German-language version that ties the festival most directly to its Swiss-German source material and to the village's founding immigrant community

03

The city starts moving

The surrounding Volksfest, with its parade, yodeling, and alphorn performances, extends the Swiss cultural immersion beyond the theater itself into the streets of the village

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Staging Schiller's Wilhelm Tell as a community-performed outdoor play in alternating German and English productions has continued since 1938

Water and renewal

Living ritual

making it one of the longest-running community theater traditions in the state

The sacred route

Living ritual

The accompanying Swiss Volksfest

The local code

Living ritual

with its parade

Tradition 5

Living ritual

and alphorn playing

Tradition 6

Living ritual

has remained a fixed companion to the play across those decades

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually August

Getting around

For Wilhelm Tell Festival, plan transport around the exact New Glarus venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Casual layered clothing suited to a Labor Day weekend outdoors, since performances run at an open-air venue; a jacket or blanket is useful for evening showings, and comfortable shoes suit...

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

For Wilhelm Tell Festival, stay near the part of New Glarus you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map42.81 N, 89.64 WOpen in Google Maps

New Glarus, WI

Nearest airportMKE — General Mitchell
TransportFor Wilhelm Tell Festival, plan transport around the exact New Glarus venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Wilhelm Tell Festival, stay near the part of New Glarus you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to New Glarus via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near New Glarus, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for August.Compare faresFestival gearCasual layered clothing suited to a Labor Day weekend outdoors, since performances run at an open-air venue; a jacket or blanket is useful for evening showings, and comfortable shoes suit both the theater grounds and the parade route.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Wilhelm Tell Festival?

Wilhelm Tell Festival is listed for August · Summer. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Wilhelm Tell Festival take place?

The festival is listed in New Glarus, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Summer is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

New Glarus, WI

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLwilhelmtellfestival.org
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually August
Source statusOfficial source linked
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