ENTERPRISE — Lederhosen, dirndls — and beer — were in abundance Thursday, Sept. 26, as Oregon’s Alpenfest 2024 got underway at Terminal Gravity in Enterprise.

Lederhosen — the shorts and knee-high stockings worn by men — and dirndls, the gaily colored and decorated dresses worn by women as traditional costumes in Switzerland and Bavaria, Germany, all add to the celebration of Wallowa County as Oregon’s “Little Switzerland.”

Leading the processional that traditionally starts the event was Alpenmeister Stefan Hasselblad, who took over the position last year. He was followed in the processional by — among others — his predecessor, Chuck Anderson.

The processional brought to the stage a keg of the special pilsner beer brewed just for Alpenfest. After a countdown, it was tapped by TG’s brewmaster Andy Bowen, assisted by Grady Nelson, marketing manager of TG.

All this was to the tune of alphorns played by Phil and Gayle Neuman of Oregon City. After the Neumans came Bavarian-Swiss music by an abbreviated version of the Polkatones — accordion, drums and vocals — that gave a sample of what will be offered Friday and Saturday at the Joseph Community Events Center, when the bulk of Alpenfest festivities take place.

Also on the program is an alphorn concert Sunday at the summit of Mount Howard for those interested in taking the Wallowa Lake Tramway up the mountain.

The full schedule is online at https://oregonalpenfest.com/.