Fair warning, this is going to be a long post. A reseller that I work with had a network security vendor do a "lunch and learn" in Frankenmuth and I knew I couldn't pass up this opportunity to grab some post material as well as a free meal.

I really wish you could have more than 5 tags because this one needs about 10 of them for everything I am going to jam in here!

I can still remember the first time that I visited Frankenmuth, MI. My dad was an autoworker who also did freelance photography on the side. Most of his time with General Motors he ran a machine, but there was a brief peroid of time he wrote the plant newsletter(I guess blogging runs in the family!).

As part of this job editing the newsletter he had to come to the corporate meetings that were held in Frankenmuth and report on them. After visiting a couple of times he decided it would be cool to bring his family here. So one Saturday when I was just a kid I had my first introduction to Michigan's Little Bavaria.

Some things have changed a ton since I came here as a kid, some things are very much the same. On this occasion, I made sure I got there a little early so I had some time to walk around and grab some pictures.

I parked my truck and started walking down main street so I could get some shots of the town and maybe participate in the #wednesdaywalk challenge by @tattoodjay.

In the following pictures you can see how they try to keep the German/Bavarian feel with the architcure even though the buildings are newer and the business are pretty mundane.

This building for example is an insurance agency. Probably not what you would expect based on the exterior...

There are all kinds of little shops throughout the historic downtown area. Things that you don't commonly see in the States. Take this yarn shop for example:

I especially like the artwork on the side of the building. These are the kinds of touches that enhance the "old world" architecture and style of Frankenmuth. The town also has a ton of history. In case you can't read the sign, it says "Frankenmuth Wollen Mill, Michigan's Oldest Operating Wollen Mill".

I think that is pretty cool especially in these days when everything is so mass produced. Frankenmuth is full of these types of gems. Let me share some more photos with you as we walk down main street...

I got to this stop light and I realized that it was getting close to the start time for my "lunch and learn". Since that was the main reason I went to Frankenmuth, I figured I should turn around and head back.

The sad thing is, I had just begun to scratch the surface of downtown Frankenmuth. I grabbed some more pictures on my way back.

I knew right away I had to stop and take a picture of this building for @soyrosa because... cheese.

I grabbed some shots of other small businesses and then I arrived at my destination.

I have to be honest, the fact that the event was at a brewery might have had a little impact on my desire to go. I have been to this place before, but it wasn't until I did a little digging that I found out just how special it is.

Frankenmuth Brewery is the oldest brewery in the state of Michigan. In fact it is one of the ten oldest breweries in the country. It was established in 1862 and although the name has changed several times, they have continued to produce award winning craft beer.

You might notice that the building looks pretty new for supposedly being so old. Well according to records around 1996 a tornado came through downtown Frankenmuth and destroyed the original building. They quickly rebuilt and this is the building that exsits today.

I found my way inside and I was quickly escorted to one of the riverview event rooms. If you are looking for a great place to hold a get-together be it personal or professional, this place is pretty awesome.

These views from the riverview rooms are pretty spectacular and when the weather is a bit warmer, they can open the window panels to give you a more outdoor experience while still having a roof over your head.

Because it was a corporate event, the food was buffet style. I wasn't able to get a picture of the menu because of that, but you can find it on their website that I linked above. While everyone was standing in line to get their food, I meandered over to the bar to take a look at what they had on tap.

I was hoping for a stout or porter, but the bartender said the darkest beers they had at that time were the Christmas Town Ale and the Amber. I decided on the Christmas Town Ale (I will explain the importance of that name later).

It was a good beer and reminded me a bit of an Oktoberfest or Marzen. It had a little more hoppiness to it though and it was a little spicy. I only had one since I knew I had to drive home from the event, but I would definitely get it again.

The food was pretty fantastic. I was a little distraught that I got ranch dressing on my chocolate chip cookie, but I perservered. Talk about a lot of crabs though, between the beer, the cookie, the small potatoes and the chicken parmesan, I was ready for a nap!

I made it through the presentation and gathered my things to leave. I was feeling a bit down that I didn't have more time to explore before the meeting, so I got in my truck and decided to drive a bit farther down main street.

There are two things that Frankemuth is really known for. One of them is a place called Bronner's. Sadly, I didn't go far enough down the road to get a picture of it, but you can check out the website. Bronner's is a year round Christmas store that is probably as big as most shopping malls you have visited.

They sell nothing but Christmas decorations and Christmas themed merchandise. Bronner's is the main reason that besides being called Little Bavaria, it is also called Christmas Town. Hence the reason for the name of that beer.

The other thing that Frankemuth is know for is their chicken dinners. Zehnder's and Bavarian Inn have been providing chicken dinners to folks for visitors for ages.

It is funny because although they are right across the street from each other, Zehnder's and Bavarian Inn aren't competitors. In fact they are both owned by the same family.

I had a friend whose family had a theory that there was actually a tunnel underneath the street between the two businesses so they could take the chicken back and forth when one place was starting to get low.

The picture above is of The Bavarian Inn and you can see Zehnder's in the background. The majority if not all of the chicken dinners I have had in Frankenmuth have been at The Bavarian Inn.

It is a little hard to see in the photo, but there is a display on the front of the building. That used to be an old fashioned glockenspiel with a mechanical clock that had Bavarian boys and girls dancing around when the clock would strike the hour.

If you ever visit here, plan on standing in line to wait for a table. I remember when I was a child the line wrapped up and down several long halls before we could even see the hostess. Make no mistake though, the wait is never that long.

Good or bad, Germans are known for their efficiency and that heritage is evident in the way they are able to turn over tables and keep the diners flowing.

Just around the corner from The Bavarian Inn is the covered wooden bridge in the opening photo. I drove through it once, quickly turned around and drove back. The other side of the bridge where I turned around is home to the Bavarian Inn Lodge which I didn't get a picture of.

Farther down the road before you get to Bronner's is the Frankenmuth River Place Shops. This is a whole other area of the town that you could easily spend half a day to a full day walking around.

It is an outdoor mall area with dozens of little shops like the ones in the downtown area. I haven't been there in a while, but I remember a custom bead shop for jewelry makers, a crystal and pewter figurine shop, and a homemade candle shop to name a few.

Frankenmuth is also home to many festivals throughout the year. Besides the obvious Oktoberfest, they also host a Snow fest where snow and ice sculptors come in from all over the world to compete against each other for prizes. Local high schools also send teams to participate in the competitions. I have been to it a couple times and if you can handle the cold weather, it really is a sight to see.

Another festival that I have attended quite frequently is the Summer Music Fest. They typically hold the music festivals in a large area across the river. The Summer Music Fest is a multiday music extraveganza with a definite emphasis on polka music. I have spent several nights at this festival drinking beer and watching people young and old polka their hearts out into the wee hours.

Fun fact: The rock band Greta Van Fleet which was recently nomitated for three Grammy awards hail from the town of Frankenmuth, Michigan.

There you go, that was my trip to Michigan's Little Bavaria. If you ever make it to my neck of the woods, you should really take the time to stop in. Even if you just plan to swing by Frankenmuth for a chicken dinner, you might find yourself staying much longer!

I plan on submitting this story to @archisteem for consideration in their 1001 Places to Remember collection.

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