President Dwight D. Eisenhower once envisioned a “People-to-People Program,” where American cities would bond with “Sister Cities” around the world to foster peace through citizen diplomacy. The spirit of that vision is not only alive but thriving in Ogden.

For the 40th consecutive year, Utahns will celebrate the Hof Germanfest on Jan. 16-17, 2026, at the Eccles Conference Center in downtown Ogden. The two-day festival honors Ogden’s relationship with its Sister City in Hof, Germany – a relationship dating back to 1954. It even predates the formal establishment of the Eisenhower-inspired, non-governmental organization Sister Cities International by two years.

Longtime festival volunteer Bill Bennett proudly calls the Hof Germanfest “the best Germanfest in the West,” citing its steadfast commitment to authentic German music and freshly prepared dishes such as schnitzels, bratwurst, spätzle, Old-World pastries and crusty breads.

Three noted groups – the Hammerstein Band, Salzburger Echo and the Wasatch Alphorns – perform traditional German music and folk songs. The latter is a co-op of Utah musicians dedicated to the art and history of the Swiss alphorn, a long, narrow wind instrument traditionally carved from a pine trunk.

More than 25 vendors line the festival floor with homemade treats and traditional hand-carved wooden toys. Yet at the core of the festivities is something far less tangible – the cherished, 70-year relationship with the people of Hof.

“When you really get down to it, this celebration is about having an open mind and seeing people for who they really are – people,” said Bennett, who has served as an unofficial liaison between Ogden and Hof for more than three decades. “It’s about seeing people beyond history or beyond the news. It’s about making friends and building relationships while understanding that we really have a lot more in common with other people than we might think. We have done that with our friends in Hof.”

No one believed more in the deeply human side of Ogden’s Sister City relationship than its late mayor, Scott Sneddon. He was instrumental in establishing the first festival in 1986 – then called the Ogden Hof Winter Carnival – and remained a driving force behind the event until his death from cancer in 2005. Since then, more than 2,500 residents of Hof have visited Ogden for cultural and educational experiences.

Prior to his death, Sneddon summoned friends Jim Harvey and Bennett to his home. Knowing his time was short, he asked both of them to help keep the festival alive.

“For him, it was like asking if I would adopt his child,” recalled Harvey, a Weber County commissioner. “Of course, I said, ‘Yes.’ And look at us now – we’re still going strong, beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.”