Shooting festivals in the Soest district: Who will be the new king?

Shooting festivals in the Soest district: Who will be the new king?

On Friday, July 4th, 2025, the shooting festival season will be in full swing in the old district of Soest. Several shooting clubs invite you to festive events that are characterized by happy get-togethers and exciting competitions. It's not just about shooting for the title of the new shooting king, but also about celebrating the community.

In Büderich, the shooting of the St. Kunibert Brotherhood starts at 5 p.m. The new royal couple is chosen here. It remains to be seen which of the shooters has what it takes to win the title. A little later, at 6 p.m., things get heated in Ostönnen-Röllingsen when the shooters fight to succeed the reigning royal couple Darius and Patricia Buschmann. At 7 p.m., the Dinker-Nateln-Dorfwelver shooting club ensures that the shooting stays exciting here too. This is where the reign of Lukas Brüggemann and Sophie Löffler ends.

Festive celebrations and traditions

After the proclamations, there will be a celebration with a dance and DJ in Ostönnen-Röllingsen. Such celebrations are not surprising at shooting festivals, as the tradition has its roots in the Middle Ages, when shooters helped protect their communities. The lively atmosphere, a mixture of competition and conviviality, attracts not only the shooters but also numerous visitors.

On Saturday, July 5th, a communal breakfast will be served in Wamel from 11 a.m., followed by a bird shoot at 4 p.m. during which the new royal couple will be crowned. This celebration takes the place of Martin Gerke and his wife Conny. On Sunday, July 6th, the shooting festival will continue with special highlights. The St. Vizentius Echthausen shooting club begins at 11:30 a.m. with the shooting to determine the successors to Leon Eickenbusch and Mara Allhoff, followed by the “Fröschelkes” at 2 p.m. and the proclamation of the new royal couples at 3 p.m.

The unity of Soest and its celebrations

The Soest Unity Shooting Festival, which will also take place on Sunday, July 6, 2025, will offer a festive program. From 11 a.m. there will be a shooting breakfast, followed by musical performances by the Elfsen marching band and the popular bird shooting at 1:30 p.m., where the successor to Thomas and Elke Bielefeld will be determined. The children don't miss out either, because the children's bird shooting is followed by the coronation of the children's royal couple.

The festival will be rounded off with a big shooting party on Friday, July 11, 2025, and an extensive program throughout the entire weekend, consisting of parades, musical highlights and a big tattoo. The Einigkeit Soest 1926 e.V. shooting club has set a lot of plans to celebrate and continue the tradition of the shooting festival. The wide range of events shows that shooting festivals in Germany are not just a custom, but also a social event that brings people together.

This is also shown by the diverse landscape of the over 15,000 shooting clubs in Germany, which currently enjoy a high reputation and keep the tradition alive. The diverse festivals combine community, competition and the desire to continue a living tradition, making them an important part of German culture. More information about shooting festivals and how they take place can also be found at alle-schuetzenvereine.de.

By the way, Bernhard Brinkmann was proclaimed the new king last weekend during a shooting in Oberense. A foretaste of what the upcoming shooting festivals have in store.