Name: 75th Westphalian Marksmen's Day Blomberg 2026
Start: 2026-09-18T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-09-19T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Festgelände Blomberg

75th WST Blomberg

About 75th WST Blomberg

With the 75th Westphalian Marksmen's Day, Blomberg in the Lippe district will host the marksmen's guilds of all of Westphalia on September 18 and 19, 2026. The host is the Old Blomberg Marksmen's Battalion (ABS), which celebrates its 450th anniversary in 2026. The program combines a grand parade, shooting competitions, royal awards, tree planting, and a festive evening. Exceptionally, the 2026 Westphalian Marksmen's Day falls in September (instead of the traditional October) to merge with the club anniversary – making it a double grand event for the Hanseatic city of Lippe.

Dates 18 Sep — 19 Sep 2026

Venue Blomberg (05766)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

75th WST Blomberg — edition 2026

The 75th Westphalian Marksmen's Day on September 18 and 19, 2026, in Blomberg is a double anniversary: 75 years of WSB Marksmen's Day and 450 years of the Old Blomberg Marksmen's Battalion (ABS). Program: Shooting competitions, parade through the city center, royal proclamation, tree planting, festive evening.

Marksmen, marksmen's ladies, music corps, and drum corps from all over Westphalia gather in the Hanseatic city of Lippe. The 75th edition meets the 450th club year of the ABS – an extraordinary weekend for Blomberg.

Highlights 75th WST Blomberg 2026

75th edition of the Westphalian Marksmen's Day
Double anniversary with 450 years of ABS Blomberg
Grand parade through the old town
King Shooting, youth competitions, tree planting
Exceptional September date (instead of October)

Programme 75th WST Blomberg 2026

Friday, September 18, 2026

Arrival and assembly of district associations
Opening ceremony with WSB presidency and ABS
Tree planting as a WST tradition
Festive evening with music and festive speech

Saturday/Sunday, September 19, 2026

Shooting competitions: King Shooting, Youth King Shooting, Team Competitions
Grand parade through Blomberg's old town
Proclamation of the Federal King/Queen
Awarding of medals of merit
Ceremonial reception in the festival tent

Detailed program: schuetzentag.wsb1861.de and abs-blomberg.de.

Prices 75th WST Blomberg 2026

Parade and city center program are free; festive evening and ceremonial reception require tickets.

Practical information

Practical information — 75th WST Blomberg

Date

Friday, September 18 – Saturday/Sunday, September 19, 2026.

Location

City center and festival grounds Blomberg (Lippe district).

Getting There

By car via the A2 (exit Bielefeld-Ost) and B1 / B238. By train to Blomberg station (Eggetalbahn / NWB) or Detmold with bus connection. Within the city: Festival shuttle to the festival grounds.

Admission

Parade and city center program are free. Festive evening / ceremonial reception requires tickets.

Organizer

Westfälischer Schützenbund 1861 e.V. (wsb1861.de) together with the Old Blomberg Marksmen's Battalion (abs-blomberg.de).

Background

75th edition of the WST; simultaneously 450 years of ABS Blomberg.

Westphalia's Largest Marksmen's Gathering

The Westphalian Marksmen's Day (WST) is the annual main event of the Westphalian Marksmen's Association 1861 e.V. (WSB). Every two years, the hosting rotates between different locations in NRW – in 2026, Blomberg in the Lippe district is next up, with the 75th edition in the history of the Marksmen's Association. The local host is the traditional Old Blomberg Marksmen's Battalion (ABS).

Double Anniversary – 75th WST and 450 Years of ABS

What makes Blomberg special in 2026: The WST coincides with the 450th anniversary of the ABS (founded in 1576) – one of the oldest marksmen's battalions in Germany. Therefore, the Marksmen's Day has been moved to September (09/18-19) exceptionally, instead of taking place in October as usual. The double anniversary shapes the entire program, from the commemorative publication to the festive speech by the WSB presidency.

Grand Parade Through the Old Town

The heart of every Marksmen's Day is the grand parade through the city center on Sunday, in which marksmen, marksmen's ladies, drum corps, music corps, and royal couples from all over Westphalia participate – several thousand uniformed individuals with flags, fanfares, and marching music. Blomberg's old town with its market square, the late Gothic St. Martin's Church, and the historic castle forms the backdrop.

Competitions – King and Youth King Shooting

On Saturday, the focus is on the shooting competitions: Adult King Shooting, Youth King Shooting, Team Competitions. The elected Federal King or Queen is solemnly proclaimed and represents the WSB in the following year. In addition, medals of merit and district awards are presented.

Tree Planting and Festive Evening

Traditionally, a tree planting is carried out during the WST as a sustainable memento. The festive evening with a festive speech, ceremony, and music program concludes the Sunday. A festival hall on the fairgrounds and several accompanying events in the city center are expected in Blomberg.

Blomberg – Hanseatic City in the Lippe Uplands

Blomberg is one of the historic Lippe Hanseatic cities, located in the southeastern part of the Lippe district near Detmold. The small, well-preserved old town with its palace, castle, and city walls is UNESCO-worthy. The city is being elaborately prepared for an event with several thousand marksmen and accompanying persons from all over Westphalia – the Lippische Landes-Zeitung and Blomberg-Nachrichten have been documenting the preparatory work for months.