The New Glarus community has officially said goodbye to one of its most unique gathering places and venues. The New Glarus Fest Haus, located on 3rd Avenue, in a former New Glarus Lumberyard building, closed its doors for good last night after holding a private event. After six years of weddings, concerts, festivals, and countless celebrations, the Fest Haus is no more.

The Fest Haus was the vision of Randy and Sherry Dreger, who purchased New Glarus Lumber at auction in 2016. While the original idea was to build boutique chalets for Airbnb stays, the family ultimately decided to preserve the historic structures and create a venue that would bring people together. “We recognized a need in the New Glarus community for a unique event space,” said Kennedy Dreger, who has managed the venue for the past three years. “And of course, Fest Haus also made one of (my father) Randy’s dreams come true – owning a bar.”