Celebrating our German heritage since 1971!
Gemuetlichkeit Days is a community festival to build spirit and unity by celebrating our community’s German heritage in a family-friendly atmosphere. Gemuetlichkeit Days (ge-meet'-li-kite) was started in 1971 to celebrate the German heritage of many of the residents of the Jefferson area. The festival was first held under tents in the down town area. The festival quickly grew and needed far more space to hold the crowds. In 1975 the festival was moved to the Jefferson County Fair grounds and has been held there every year since then. Gemuetlichkeit Days tries to present a variety of entertainment to our guests. We offer some of the finest German music and Polka music in the country as well as some local favorite bands. We offer a variety of German and local foods as well as contests, activities and a great parade. The festival is always held the 2nd weekend after Labor Day. This is a fun weekend, so we hope you will participate. Come up with a great decoration idea for a float and enter our parade. Why not decorate your business or your home? Enter one or more contests. Bring the whole family. Don’t forget to search for the Mecki doll. You could win $100 if you find it. Gemuetlichkeit Days has some traditions, but there have been different contests and events over the years. The beer drinking contest was a favorite event in the early years. Bed races have been held various years. The Tapping of the Keg was an actual tapping of a wooden barrel of beer, but now a ‘Ceremonial’ Tapping of the Keg kicks off our event. For more information please email: gdays.board@gmail.com.
The Gemuetlichkeit Days organization has promoted camaraderie in our community since 1971. It has brought people together that perhaps would not have gotten to know one another. Many new friendships have been forged because of Gemuetlichkeit Days. This organization has touched the lives of many people especially those 41 local couples who were honored to serve as the Gemuetlichkeit Days King and Queen for a year. Everyone who has been involved in Gemuetlichkeit has helped our Gemuetlichkeit family grow. We celebrate our community and one another every year; and we want to remember the special people who became a part of our family, but are no longer with us. If we have missed someone special to Gemuetlichkeit Days we apologize. Please let us know who we missed, so we can add them to this special list. The board of directors will determine who is listed, but it is our intent to list past Royalty, Presidents and other people who contributed significantly to Gemuetlichkeit Days.
Below is a memoriam to our past Kings and Queens, the date they departed from this life, and the year they reigned.
11/16/1980 1972 King
06/15/1988 1985 King
10/09/1997 1975 King
02/03/1998 1977 King
12/06/2000 1971 King
04/26/2004 1982 King
06/10/2006 2001 King
07/22/2007 1974 Queen
12/07/2007 1974 King
01/07/2012 1973 Queen
01/12/2012 1986 King
12/30/2012 1973 King
02/22/2014 1980 King
07/15/2014 1976 Queen
10/05/2014 1978 King
02/16/2015 1992 Queen
12/28/2015 1972 Queen
04/08/2016 1971 Queen
07/26/2016 2002 Queen
06/28/2017 1990 Queen
01/22/2018 1979 Queen
06/21/2018 1993 King
07/22/2018 1975 Queen
10/02/2018 1983 King
01/31/2019 1976 King
07/9/2019 1985 Queen
05/06/2020 1997 King
06/29/2020 1990 King
09/16/2020 1992 King
08/11/2021 1978 Queen
01/26/2022 1991 Queen
03/25/2022 1977 Queen
06/11/2022 1981 Queen
07/10/2022 1987 King
The following promotional books were published from 1972 to 1997 and were distributed prior to and at Gemuetlichkeit Days. The books were discontinued in 1997 because of the cost and work involved to publish them. Bill and Barb Hesse were instrumental in publishing these books. Badger Press, Fort Atkinson printed them for Gemuetlichkeit Days. Just click on the thumbnail photo to see the full picture.
