The Ogden City Council and Mayor Benjamin K. Nadolski have accepted an invitation from the elected officials in Hof, Germany to travel to Ogden City’s sister city this summer to participate in the city’s annual Volksfest. The trip will take place in late July to early August and is the next chapter in a historic relationship between the two cities.
“We’re very excited for this opportunity to build on the success of this sister city relationship,” City Council Chair Marcia White said. “We hope to build on the efforts made by our predecessors over the last 70 years to strengthen international connections”.
The Ogden-Hof sister city relationship was established in 1954 and was the first partnership between the United States and Germany following World War II under President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s People to People initiative. Since its founding, the partnership has facilitated meaningful cultural exchanges and lasting friendships between residents of the two cities.
Over the decades, Ogden has hosted nearly 2,500 visitors from Hof and sent delegations to Germany, including visits by elected officials, firefighters, musicians, athletes, and educators. Notable initiatives have included the creation of Hof Germanfest in Ogden and the addition of a Hof Rathaus replica to Ogden’s Christmas Village.
This year’s visit by Ogden leaders coincides with the 2025 Volksfest in Hof and follows a visit by Hof's Lord Mayor and City Council members to Ogden City in January of 2024.
For additional information, please contact Ogden City Council Executive Deputy Director Glenn Symes, GlennSymes@OgdenCity.gov; 801-629-8164.