Prelude to Christmas (Amana Colonies)

Prelude to Christmas spreads holiday events across all seven Amana Colonies villages: Amana, East Amana, High Amana, Middle Amana, South Amana, West Amana, and Homestead. German-American heritage shows up as handcrafted gifts, festive treats, holiday music, a Sampling Stroll, a German Pickle Hunt, crafts, and theater. The second weekend is Amana Traditions Weekend, with the Amana Church Bazaar, the Cookie Walk, and the Holiday Haus Walk. The bazaar sells homemade breads, candies, ornaments, and a few antiques. The Cookie Walk offers hundreds of dozens of cookies, candies, and bars, sold by the box. The Haus Walk visits historic homes in Homestead, Upper South Amana, West Amana, and Middle Amana, plus an artist market at the High Amana Artist Guild.

Our take: If the Cookie Walk is the target, it is a single Saturday at the Amana Church; get there before the 10:00 am start.