Germanfest

What is Germanfest?

Our annual Germanfest Celebration features live music, beer, brats, pretzels, ice cream, games for the whole family, a stein holding competition, and more. Germanfest is more exciting than ever!

Germanfest began in 1993, with a Pledge of Friendship signed by the mayors of Missoula and Neckargemünd, Germany at the time. Since then, every year the Missoula community gathers at Caras Park to celebrate our sister city connection and the German cultural heritage.

Germanfest is presented by Arts Missoula and Bayern Brewing!

Volunteers Make Germanfest Possible!

Germanfest wouldn’t be the celebration it is without our amazing volunteers! From helping set up and serve to welcoming guests and keeping the festivities running smoothly, volunteers are the heart of this event. We are incredibly grateful for everyone who gives their time, energy, and enthusiasm to help make Germanfest a success. Come be part of the team—we’d love to have you!

Montana state Steinholding Competition finals at Germanfest!

Arts Missoula is hosting the Montana State Steinholding Championship at GermanFest on Saturday, October 3rd at Caras Park! One winner from the Men’s and Women’s division will each get to move on to the National Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio!

To compete, you must be invited by previously qualifying at another USSA Steinholding event in Montana.

Qualifying events will be held at Bayern Brewing on Friday September 18th and Friday, September 25th.

Read more about our event, and Steinholding rules and regulations at Montana State Steinholding Championship Official Website

This Bavarian tradition is simple and a ton of fun: hold a full liter stein of beer straight out in front of you for as long as you can—no spilling, no bending, just strength and endurance. It sounds easy… until it isn’t!

Whether you’re aiming for the title or just in it for the laughs, this is your chance to go stein-to-stein and join in on a new Germanfest tradition

See Our Competition Facebook Event Here

Thank you to the wonderful sponsors of the 2025 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.

Title Sponsor

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsor

We also want to express our appreciation to our fantastic vendors and raffle contributors: the city of Neckargemünd, Orange Street Food Farm, the University of Montana, Xplorer Maps, Big Dipper Ice Cream, Lake Missoula Tea Company, Bayern Brewing, Mobilezone Unique Inflatables, Worden’s Market & Deli, The Pattie Wagon, Louie’s Lemonade, and Bamboo Bar. Thank you for helping make this event a success!

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.