Germanfest

Dankeschön, MISSOULA!

Danke, Missoula!

What a day! From Kids Steinholding and costume contests to fish schlapping, brats, beer, pretzels, fantastic vendors, the Montana State Steinholding Finals, and an incredible evening with the Joan Zen Band, Germanfest 2026 was one for the books!

For more than nine hours, Caras Park was filled with music, laughter, friendly competition, great food, and an incredible sense of community and all the while celebrating Missoula’s Sister City, Neckargemünd, Germany.

To our generous sponsors, hardworking volunteers, amazing vendors, Arts Missoula staff and board members, performers, partners, and every single person who came down to celebrate with us: DANKE! You made the day possible.

We asked Missoula to make a day of it, and you absolutely did. Together, we celebrated our Sister City, our community, each other, and one spectacular fall day in Missoula.

From all of us at Arts Missoula: thank you for making Germanfest such a joyful celebration. Prost, Missoula!

Pictured – our Costume Contest Winners and our MC’s for the afternoon, Abigail Gilbert and Kelsey Seals from the Missoula Children’s Theatre

Thank you to the wonderful sponsors of the 2026 Germanfest!

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, vendors, and raffle basket donors! We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors: Bayern Brewing, Missoula Motor Company, Worden’s Market & Deli, Pattee Creek Market, MissoulaEvents.net, Parkside Credit Union, and Roemer’s.

📦 A BIG thank you to Big Sky Box, one of our Season sponsors!

Big Sky Box did double duty at Germanfest this year! First, it helped us transport all the supplies, games, signage, and gear needed to bring Germanfest to life at Caras Park. Then, once everything was unloaded, the box transformed into the home of our Sister City Gallery.

We love a partnership that is both practical AND creative! Thank you, Big Sky Box, for helping us get Germanfest where it needed to go and then becoming part of the celebration itself.

Danke, Big Sky Box! 🇩🇪📦❤️

History of Germanfest

Over thirty years ago Missoula’s Sister-City Partnership with Neckargemünd, Germany was formed. In 1992 – 1993, delegations from these two cities, including choirs, mayors, city council members and interested citizens, traveled to their potential sister-city to get to know one another and to discuss whether such a partnership might be feasible.

The sister city idea was born during the 1990-91 academic year when Professor Jerry Fetz, from the University of Montana and Professor Erich Pohl, from the University of Heidelberg received Fulbright Awards to trade places for the year. They both became acquainted with their host city mayors and agreed this relationship would be beneficial to both parties. Mayor Dan Kemmis of Missoula and Mayor Oskar Schuster of Neckargemünd, with the blessing and support of their respective City Councils and numerous citizens, agreed that this partnership should be inaugurated and bring these cities, their students, and citizens of all ages closer together.

Over the past 30+ years, we can look back to a vibrant partnership that has focused on high school and university students (close to 400 young Missoulians and young Neckargemünders have spent memorable times in each other’s cities, schools, and households) as well as numerous citizen -to-citizen and cultural exchanges. Although the high school student exchange program between Hellgate and the high school in Neckargemünd has experienced a hiatus after some 25 years, we hope to continue exchanges in the future.

Generous Missoulians have shown guests from Germany not only Missoula and our immediate surrounding area, but Montana’s spectacular landscapes and colorful people as well. And gracious Neckargemünders have greeted and welcomed Missoulians into the homes of on that side of the Atlantic. Exploring Neckargemünd and nearby Heidelberg, the oldest and perhaps most famous German University town that is just five miles downstream on the Neckar River. As well as other remarkable and beautiful areas and towns in this southeast region of Germany.