Celebrate May Day with fellowship and breakfast at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP), 501 East Tudor, between 0730 and 0900, on Friday, May 1, 2026. Please log a "will attend" if you are coming so adequate space can be reserved.
May Day is a dual-purpose holiday marking both the arrival of spring with traditional, festive rituals and the international struggle for workers' rights. Historically rooted in pagan festivals like Beltane, it evolved into International Workers' Day, though the United States' official Labor Day falls in September. It serves as a celebration of spring, fertility, and renewal (cache maintenance, anyone?), as well as a global day of action for labor rights, rallies, and demonstrations. In Hawaii, May Day is known as "Lei Day," and is celebrated with lei-making competitions.
This is also likely Pentrek's final Alaskan Stammtisch, so stop by to say "good-bye," especially if you missed "Farewell for now, PenTrek, (GCBMN0C)," on April 23.
Attendees of this Event will earn the 2026 Blue Switch Day souvenir.
The event host will be present during the entire 1.5-hour window for this Stammtisch and all are welcome to join for the full event or to just stop by and say "hello." This event is scheduled to allow people who are working to visit on the way to the salt mine and for those not working to sleep in a bit (but not too much) and get an early start on a caching run.
Stammtisch: Loosely translated from German meaning a "regular get-together." Literally speaking, the word Stammtisch is a table in a bar or restaurant which is reserved for the same guests at the same time every day or every week. There is usually a sign on the table saying "Stammtisch." If you don't belong to this table, don't attempt to sit there! In the most traditional German beer halls there is a large brass plaque above the table with the word Stammtisch printed on it in bold lettering. During a recent trip to Germany, I saw a carved wooden "Stammtisch" sign hanging over a restaurant table in Regensburg (see the background image of this event page).
There can be all kinds of Stammtisch. There are those simply for friends to drink together. Or those for specific interest groups - say a "Philosophy Discussion Stammtisch" or a "Stamp Collectors Stammtisch". In our case, this is a reincarnation of the "Geocaching Stammtisch" which was first held in Alaska a decade ago in 2015. The event is for cachers to gather together to swap stories, tips, and tricks over a meal or beverage.
By my best estimation, fourteen different cachers have hosted 46 Alaskan Geocaching Stammtisch Events.