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Festival joys and tradition: The big shooting festival is starting soon!
Celebrations for the Schützenfest in the Rhein-Erft district begin on June 28, 2025 with a church service and parades. Experience tradition and community!
Festival joys and tradition: The big shooting festival is starting soon!
In Bedburg the anticipation of the largest shooting festival in the Rhein-Erft district is palpable. The celebrations begin on June 28th with a Holy Mass at 8:30 a.m., at which the Archer King is traditionally crowned. It will be a solemn occasion that will continue with a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial and an honorable remembrance of the fallen. In the first of a total of four parades, the shooters parade through the streets, followed by a morning drink in the festival tent, before the big parade through the town begins at 3 p.m., which is accompanied by lots of music.
The highlight of the first day is the opening ball, where the “TeamWork Showband” from Hückelhoven ensures a good atmosphere. Sunday starts early, at 9 a.m., with a sacramental procession at the mission cross on Josef-Schnitzler-Straße. The celebrations continue with parades of honor for the patron and over 60 guests of honor. Awards and honors will also be present at the morning pint in the festival tent. A special moment will be the big historical parade on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., in which more than 800 shooters and over 200 musicians, including friendly shooting brothers from Bedburg, Kaster and Morken-Harff, will take part.
Tradition and community
The role of the shooting king should not be underestimated. Traditionally, it is determined as part of a shooting festival, with each brotherhood setting its own rules for the election. As a rule, these are adult male members aged 18 and over who apply for the title of shooting king. This often involves shooting at a target and the best shooter is awarded the title. This usually happens as part of a large-scale festival, as in Bedburg, where the shooting festival lasts several days. The new shooting king is traditionally picked up from his home or an inn and taken to the celebrations, this clearly shows how important community is in these traditions. Women are now also allowed to take part in shooting in many clubs, which further revives the tradition and makes it more diverse. This is also clear in the numerous shooting festivals in the area, for example in the election of the shooting kings in the nearby Olpe district, where the new majesties were recently announced.
On Monday, the festival opens with a family breakfast at 10:30 a.m., with musical support from the Königshoven Federal Tambour Corps and the “Erft-Blech” band. The pick-up of the royal couple and the large court at 7 p.m. will also be a celebratory moment, ending with the traditional “Great Tattoo”. The brother master Georg Jobs emphasized how important the shooting festival is not only for the community, but also for the connection to the homeland. The musical accompaniment to the crowning conclusion is provided by the “Nightlife Band” from Wassenberg.
With all of these activities and the strong connection to traditions, the shooting festival in Bedburg is not only an important social event, but also an expression of community and identity. It will be interesting to see which moments will make this year unforgettable for visitors. Erft courier, Wikipedia and Sauerland courier report on the exciting traditions and festive highlights that will remain in the memory of the spectators and actors in one way or another.