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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
APPEAL TRIBUNE
Life in the
Valley y
sanews@salem.gannett.com
STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE
Mt. Angel Oktoberfest takes place Sept. 14-17. But outside the festival, Mt. Angel is still a thriving, vibrant town.
Entertaining Mt. Angel
Small town has lots to offer whether it’s Oktoberfest or not
BROOKE JACKSON-GLIDDEN
STATESMAN JOURNAL
During Oktoberfest, the tiny Bavar-
ian town of Mt. Angel swells with visi-
tors. The biergarten, weingarten and
food booths take over the town, and the
sound of accordions seems to come from
everywhere.
Locals often share their favorite sta-
tistic: The 3,000-person town of Mt. An-
gel jumps to approximately 300,000 dur-
ing Oktoberfest. source: Oregon Ency-
clopedia. Does that work? Do I need a
more official source?
But outside Oktoberfest, Mt. Angel is
still a thriving, vibrant town where it’s
impossible to leave without a new friend
(and maybe a buzz). When you decide
you need a little German charm, Mt. An-
gel can still deliver, even outside the
“gartens.”
So when you burn out on the fest hall
crowds, get your fix of small-town
charm, with or without your stein.
Must visit: Mt. Angel Sausage Co.
Mt. Angel Sausage Co. is a Food Net-
work favorite for obvious reasons: sau-
sages, handmade in-house, smoked and
served in a melange of different ways.
For sausage lovers, this is heaven: Per-
fect snap and juicy center, with a mas-
tery of spice on the inside. Who could go
wrong? 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. for dining, 105
S Garfield St., 503-845-2322
BROOKE JACKSON-GLIDDEN / STATESMAN JOURNAL
For something different: Drunken
German
Old Stone Coffee & Collectibles serves Silver Falls coffee in a corner shop in Mt. Angel.
Mt. Angel has four main bars: Bier-
haus, Tiny’s Tavern, Frank-N-Steins and
Drunken German, recognizable for its
large deck and controversial name.
Bierhaus is often considered the obvi-
ous choice during the festival, but the
Drunken German keeps things a little
more varied in terms of decor and
drinks. During Oktoberfest, the Drun-
ken German hosts live bands and com-
ics, but the real delight of the bar is its
variety and kind service, inside and out-
side. Noon to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and
Thursdays, noon to midnight Fridays-
Sundays. Extended hours for Oktober-
fest; the bar will close at 2:30 a.m. 115
Church St., 503-845-6509
845-2151
For your morning Josef: Old Stone
Coffee & Collectibles
Serving an exclusive Silver Falls Cof-
fee roast from the neighboring town, Old
Stone has that antique shop feel that
makes it a lovely spot for a morning cup-
pa, especially if you peruse the
tchotchkes and trinkets on the shelves. 7
a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Ex-
tended hours during Oktoberfest; the
shop closes at 10 p.m. 95 N Main St., 503-
For a breakfast bite: Leona’s
Bakery and Cafe
Delightful frosted cupcakes and cin-
namon rolls are available to go if you’re
not willing to sit for a diner breakfast at
this cute bake shop on the outskirts of the
town square. 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays-
Saturdays. Limited menu and hours dur-
ing Oktoberfest; Leona’s closes at 11 a.m.
for breakfast. 415 South Main St., 503-
845-5090
For German gold: The
Glockenspiel
The Glockenspiel restaurant has an
actual Glockenspiel, a coo-coo clock that
anyone can see throughout the day. The
walls are lined with wood, with plenty of
figurines and steins on display. If you
like German food, you know you’re get-
ting the classics here: the sausages, the
wiener schnitzel. But the must-order is
the German chocolate cake, traditional-
ly served with coconut cream on the out-
side and in the batter. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sundays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fri-
BROOKE JACKSON-GLIDDEN / STATESMAN JOURNAL
BROOKE JACKSON-GLIDDEN / STATESMAN JOURNAL
Glockenspiel spaetzle is smothered in a
lemony cream sauce and locally sourced
vegetables and Parmesan.
The Oktoberfest sausage at Mt. Angel
Sausage Company is made and smoked
in-house.
days and Saturdays. Extended hours dur-
ing Oktoberfest: The restaurant will open
at 10:45 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. 190 E
Charles St., 503-845-6222
templative strolls, a library for a quiet
workplace and ... a basement full of taxi-
dermy animals and strange artifacts.
The Mount Angel Abbey Museum is
my favorite strange outing and/or test
during early courtship (how weird are
you? Are you down to drive 45 minutes to
check out a dead and stuffed deformed
fawn?). Plus, it’s away from the commo-
tion of Oktoberfest, for all my fellow in-
troverts. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sun-
days, 1 Abbey Drive, Saint Benedict
BONUS: Escape to the Mount
Angel Abbey for a bizarre break
The Mount Angel Abbey and Semi-
nary is a picturesque visit on the out-
skirts of town, with a lovely landscaped
mall and Stations of the Cross for con-