The Background of Swiss Wrestling
About 1300 A.D. cow herders in the Alps started the sport of Swiss Wrestling. they wore belts around their waists and handkerchiefs around their knees. Since then, the sport has become the most important sport in Switzerland.
The sport is organized by matching wrestlers according to weight, size, and past performance, and later by points. 8.50 - 8.75 is a loss 9.00 is a draw 9.25 - 10.00 is a win Points are added for rematching and to determine the winners. A crown of laurel wreaths and accorns is presented to the winner by a beautiful crown girl. |
Wrestling PracticesWrestlers need to have at least two practices to be eligible to wrestle at the Schwingfest. Practices are taking place on Sundays starting with Buebe Schwingers at 5:00 p.m. at the Swiss Park in Frances. Contact Adrian Cook for more information: 360-942-7703
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56th Annual Schwingfest - July 5-7, 2019
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Schedule of Events
Friday, July 5th: 5:00-7:00 p.m. ~ Dinner 7:30 p.m. ~ Concert 9:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. ~ Dance Saturday, July 6th: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. ~ Breakfast 10:00 a.m. ~ Schwinger Registration 11:00 a.m. ~ Wrestling begins 12:00-4:00 p.m. ~ Grill is open Music throughout the afternoon 1:30-2:30 p.m. ~ Lunch Break Wrestling Semi-Finals 5:00 p.m. ~ Ausstich (Wrestling Finals) Steinstossen (Stone Throw) to follow 5:00-7:00 p.m. ~ Dinner 8:30 p.m.-2:00 a.m. ~ Dance 9:30 p.m. ~ Crowns Sunday, July 7th: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. ~ Breakfast 10:30 a.m. ~ Catholic Mass 11:45 a.m. ~ Schwinger Registration Beubeschwingfest ADMISSION:
3-Day Adult Pass $35 3-Day Youth Pass $18 2-Day Fri/Sat-Adult Pass $25 2-Day Fri/Sat -Youth Pass $12 2-Day Sat/Sun—Adult Pass $25 2-Day Sat/Sun—Youth Pass $12 Friday Adult Pass $10 Friday Youth Pass $5 Saturday Adult Pass $20 Saturday Youth Pass $10 Sunday Adult Pass $12 Sunday Youth Pass $6 Youth = 12-17 years Under 12 = Free 
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Backfire Band - Friday Concert
The Backfire Band will be performing for a concert on Friday night July 5 starting at 7:30 PM. This is a local band out of Lewis County and has been performing professionally since 2000. Backfire plays a wide variety of high energy country music, classic rock, southern rock and even a few blues tunes. They focus on songs that are most popular in addition to a mixture of driving originals. The band has open for Little Big Town, David Allen Coe, Phil Vassar, Jake Owen, and Travis Tritt!!! Jim Albrecht is an original member of the band and lead singer on several songs. Drummer, Tom Spahr joined the Backfire Band in 2004. He also sings lead and harmony. Jeff Anderson guitarist and singer joined the band in 2010. All three men enjoy music and share numerous musical talents. Get ready for a high energy exciting concert.
Overnight Accommodations:
Swiss Park Grounds On-site tent or RV camping is available with or without hook-ups. Hook-ups: $15 per night Non-hook-up/tents: $8 per night *Reduced rates apply to this weekend only with purchase of event pass *If you park your trailer in an RV spot prior to or leave it after the event, you are responsible for payment for all nights you are parked. Reservations are not available at this time. Falls Creek Lodge Less than a mile. Call 1-888-934-9555 for reservations and rates. Pitchwood Alehouse Inn Apprx. 16 miles/20 min. rooms@pitchwoodalehouse.com 360.942.5313 All Schwingers must complete a release form prior to wrestling. Beubeschwingers need to turn 6 years old within the calendar year to be eligible to wrestle and must have a release signed by a legal guardian.
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2018 Schwingfest/Musikfest
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2017 Schwingfest - 54th Annual
Yodeling, Cowboy-Dressed Entertainer and Accordion Player; Tongue-in-cheek funny-man
Slim, aka Rick Crowder, is a well traveled veteran of stages ranging from The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering to The Lincoln Center's Roots of American Music Festival and the Carnegie Hall Folk Festival.
His fast-paced stage show finds him crooning Western classics, playing accordion, guitar and harmonica, dancing a jig, dishing out hilarious comedic sketches and letting loose with some absolutely mind boggling yodeling. His truly astounding yippie-ti-yi style won him the Academy of Western Artists 2001 Will Rogers Award for "Yodeler of the Year" and 2009, 2010 and 2011 nomination for "Entertainer of the Year" from the Western Music Association.
Slim, aka Rick Crowder, is a well traveled veteran of stages ranging from The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering to The Lincoln Center's Roots of American Music Festival and the Carnegie Hall Folk Festival.
His fast-paced stage show finds him crooning Western classics, playing accordion, guitar and harmonica, dancing a jig, dishing out hilarious comedic sketches and letting loose with some absolutely mind boggling yodeling. His truly astounding yippie-ti-yi style won him the Academy of Western Artists 2001 Will Rogers Award for "Yodeler of the Year" and 2009, 2010 and 2011 nomination for "Entertainer of the Year" from the Western Music Association.
2016 Schwingfest - 53rd Annual
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The Lewis-Pacific Swiss Society was very honored to have widely acclaimed Swiss Yodeler, Arthur Brogli entertain us on July 1st in Frances, WA. Some of you may remember that Arthur Brogli yodeled in Frances many years ago. He now resides in Lodi, CA. Arthur has recently yodeled at many Swiss and Bavarian Festivals, including Joseph, Oregon’s Alpinefest, San Jaquin Valley (Ripon) Schwingfest and Newark, CA. Musicfest, as well as many Oktoberfests and other events up and down the west coast.
In 1948 the Brogli family emigrated from Oberfrick, Canton Aargau, Switzerland to the USA. Arthurs dad bought a farm in Imperial Valley, CA. near El Centro, CA. It was at 64 feet below sea level that Arthur learned to yodel. His mother was his best teacher and his dad assisted with the schwyzeroergali. Art is the oldest of 10 children and his whole family played and yodeled at many occasions in CA. At those occasions many American people encouraged Arthur to pursue a career in music. |
2015 Schwingfest - 52nd Annual
Friday Night Concert ~ Lyle Schaefer Polka/Variety Band ~
Lyle has played accordion professionally for over 50 years. Over the years he has played with Myron Floren, Frankie Yankovic, Verne and Steve Meisner. In 1999, Lyle and his late brother Lynn took 1st place in the Kimberly (Canada) Old-Time Accordion Competition.
Lyle says, "we will open the concert with a nice Swiss Marsch, Swiss melodies, and tunes with an international touch". After the concert Lyle and his band will play the rest of the evening for your dancing and listening enjoyment.
Lyle has played accordion professionally for over 50 years. Over the years he has played with Myron Floren, Frankie Yankovic, Verne and Steve Meisner. In 1999, Lyle and his late brother Lynn took 1st place in the Kimberly (Canada) Old-Time Accordion Competition.
Lyle says, "we will open the concert with a nice Swiss Marsch, Swiss melodies, and tunes with an international touch". After the concert Lyle and his band will play the rest of the evening for your dancing and listening enjoyment.
2015 Schwingen Results
2014 Schwingfest - 51st Annual
Friday Night Concert: Kerry Christensen
A fabulous evening designed for all ages. Yodeling songs from every culture. Indian Love Call, Cattle Call, Swiss, German, Cajun, and chicken yodeling. Amazing mouth-trumpet, Swiss Alphorn, Austrian Zither.
Kerry Christensen, one of the world's best Alpine yodelers, was raised on a potato farm in Grace, Idaho and had to wander quite a distance to discover his passion - yodeling! A performer from the tender age of three, he has sung everything from western ballads to barbershop music. It was during his travels to Austria in 1976 however, that he discovered the folk music that would be his life. Armed with recordings of the great yodelers, Kerry returned from Europe, determined to master this ancient art--and he did. While driving the family tractor around and around the potato fields, he practiced 14-15 hours a day. He drove his father crazy and was banished to practicing in the garage--to no avail, as yodeling carries very well. (Remember, it was used to communicate between hillside farms.) His career really soared when Disney World hired him to work at the German Pavilion of the Epcot Center in 1984 . He was the Disney World Yodeler from 1984 to 1990 and the leader of the night band for the last four of those years.
Kerry Christensen, one of the world's best Alpine yodelers, was raised on a potato farm in Grace, Idaho and had to wander quite a distance to discover his passion - yodeling! A performer from the tender age of three, he has sung everything from western ballads to barbershop music. It was during his travels to Austria in 1976 however, that he discovered the folk music that would be his life. Armed with recordings of the great yodelers, Kerry returned from Europe, determined to master this ancient art--and he did. While driving the family tractor around and around the potato fields, he practiced 14-15 hours a day. He drove his father crazy and was banished to practicing in the garage--to no avail, as yodeling carries very well. (Remember, it was used to communicate between hillside farms.) His career really soared when Disney World hired him to work at the German Pavilion of the Epcot Center in 1984 . He was the Disney World Yodeler from 1984 to 1990 and the leader of the night band for the last four of those years.
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2013 Schwingfest - 50th Anniversary
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1964 Schwingers and Crown Girls
2012 Schwingfest Results
2011 Schwingfest ResultsClick on the link to the right to see a full list of results:
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Brit Lusk, 2011 Schonschwinger
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Tommy Muller, 2011 Seniors Schonschwinger
Allison Engel
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2010 Schwingfest ResultsClick on the link below to see a full list of results:
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2009 Schwingfest ResultsClick on the link below to see a full list of results:
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2009 Schwingfest Photo Gallery
