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ROYALTY TRIO: The Bavarian Festival's Princess Tea was held at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant on Saturday, March 14. The three finalists to become the 2026 Bavarian Fest Prencess are, left to right, Danika Schmitzer, Emma Browning and Louella Grablick.   (Photo courtesy/Rummel Studio)

Energetic trio vying for the title of Bavarian Festival Princess

A trio of young ladies all sharing 2007 fall birthdays will represent the Frankenmuth Bavarian Fest as royalty for the 67^th annual event this June.

  With the four-day festival less than three months away, the selection of the three finalists to become the next Bavarian Fest Princes took place Saturday, March 14, at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant.

  Through a panel of six judges, the 2026 court members are, in alphabetic order:

  Emma Browning, the daughter of Lisa and Norm Browning; Louella Grablick, the daughter of Estella and Ryan Grablick, and; Danika Schmitzer, the daughter of Kari and Brandon Schmitzer.

  While the Bavarian Festival was founded in 1959, the Frankenmuth Civic Events Council (CEC) has been the caretakers of annual event since 1962 and founded the Princess Program in 1963. The festival moved from downtown Frankenmuth to Heritage Park in 1970, and 10 years ago, returned to downtown, with most activities taking place in Edwin Zehnder Park.

  Lindsey Buckley is the CEC Princess Program chairperson.

  The six-person panel of judges have ties to the Bavarian Festival in some fashion. The 2026 judges were Mindy Bierlein, the 2005 Bavarian Festival Princess; Kirsten Bierlein-Hollenbeck, the 2014 Bavarian Festival Princess; Brett Blegen, the 2008 Bavarian Festival President; Cindy Keinath, the 1989 Bavarian Festival Princess; Jeff Titsworth, the 2022 Bavarian Festival President, and; Lydia Walker, representing the sponsors from the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau.

  The judges were paired up, two to a small room, and interviewed each candidate for 7-8 minutes. The candidates rotated through the process and in the end, the judges collaborated to determine the three finalists.

  The 2026 Bavarian Festival will take place Thursday through Sunday, June 11-14. A week ahead of the festival, the Princess Ball will be held on Saturday, June 6, in the Main Dining Room at Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth, 730 South Main Street. The doors will open at 4:30pm and evening will include cocktails, dinner, a program including the Richard G. Krafft Jr. Award Ceremony, the Brown Vest recognition of the 2025 CEC President Danielle Daugharty, and the crowning of the Bavarian Festival Princess and the two Court attendants. The evening will end with music and dancing. Tickets will be available via the website, www.bavarianfestival.org.

  The current Bavarian Fest royalty includes Princess Kinzlee Karst, and Court members Olivia Miller and Megan Weiss. .....

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