Gildefest Wildeshausen
623rd Gildefest of the Wildeshausen Schützengilde von 1403 — five days of Schützen (marksmen's guild) tradition from Whit Saturday to the Children's Schützenfest
About Gildefest
The Gildefest Wildeshausen is one of the oldest and most traditional Schützenfeste (marksmen's guild festivals) in Northern Germany. The Wildeshauser Schützengilde was founded in 1403 and in 2026 will celebrate the 623rd edition of its Gildefest — an unbroken tradition spanning over six centuries. The festival takes place around Pentecost 2026 over five days, from Whit Saturday, May 23rd, to the concluding Children's Schützenfest on Saturday, May 30th.
The focus is on parades through the city center, the King's shooting competition with proclamation, the traditional Whit Tuesday as the main day, the King's dinner, dance evenings, and the big Children's Schützenfest Saturday. The organizer is the Wildeshauser Schützengilde von 1403; the festival is supervised by the city of Wildeshausen, which implements special traffic management for these days.
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Gildefest al mejor precio.
Sponsored link
Guild Tradition Since 1403
The Wildeshauser Schützengilde is among the oldest marksmen's guilds in Germany. Founded in 1403, its history dates back to a time when the Schützenwesen (marksmen's tradition) still served an immediate defensive function for the medieval city. Over the centuries, the guild evolved into the custodian of a vibrant tradition, manifested in the annual Gildefest. The 2026 festival — the 623rd edition — represents one of the longest uninterrupted Schützenfest traditions in Germany.
The Festival Around Pentecost
The Gildefest traditionally falls on the extended Pentecost weekend. Whit Saturday (May 23, 2026) marks the opening with the inauguration and the first festive events. Whit Sunday (May 24) and Whit Monday (May 25) feature shooting competitions, the King's shooting, and social programs. Whit Tuesday (May 26) is the traditional main day — the people of Wildeshausen refer to it as the 'Großer Festtag' (Great Festival Day). The festival concludes with the Children's Schützenfest on Saturday, May 30th, introducing the youngest generation to the tradition.
Festival Parade and King's Dinner
Highlights include the grand guild parade through Wildeshausen's city center — featuring historical uniforms, marching bands, horse-drawn carriages, and the entire guild membership — as well as the King's dinner, celebrating the newly crowned monarchs. The King's shooting competition with the proclamation of the new Schützenkönig (King) is one of the emotional moments of the festival and is closely followed by the community.
Traffic Management and City Life
The Wildeshausen city administration implements special traffic management during the Gildefest days — road closures around the market square, city center, and parade routes. The city center transforms into a festival mile with food stalls, carousels, and the guild's festival catering. The Gildefest is considered the most important date of the year by the residents of Wildeshausen, with many families taking time off.
The Wildeshauser Schützengilde von 1403
The guild maintains its own guild house, shooting ranges, and a lively club life. With several hundred members, it is one of the largest and most active marksmen's guilds in the district of Oldenburg. The board, officers, and guild council organize the festival together with numerous volunteers.
Gildefest — edition 2026
The 623rd edition of the Wildeshausen Gildefest runs from Whit Saturday, May 23rd, to the Children's Schützenfest on Saturday, May 30th, 2026. Over five festival days, with a break between Whit Tuesday and the children's festival on Saturday, the Wildeshauser Schützengilde von 1403 offers a program of parades, the King's shooting competition, the King's dinner, dance evenings, and family activities.
The city of Wildeshausen implements special traffic management. The highlight is traditionally Whit Tuesday with the grand parade. The festival concludes with the Children's Schützenfest on Saturday, May 30th.
Whit Tuesday — The Great Festival Day
Whit Tuesday (May 26, 2026) has been the central day of the Gildefest for centuries. On this day, the citizens of Wildeshausen gather in the market square, and the grand guild parade with its officers, kings, marching bands, and floats proceeds through the city center. The tradition dates back to the connection between the Pentecost festival and the Schützenwesen, and it has been particularly intensely preserved in Wildeshausen.
King's Shooting and Proclamation
During the festival days, the new marksmen's monarchs are determined. The King's shooting competition takes place at the Schützengilde's ranges; the proclamation occurs in a festive setting with the handover of the King's chain. The Schützenkönig and his court represent the guild in the following year.
Children's Schützenfest on May 30th
The Children's Schützenfest on the Saturday after Pentecost has been a separate highlight for generations — it introduces the youngest generation to the marksmen's tradition and offers games, carousels, its own King's shooting competition for children, and a children's parade.
Programme Gildefest 2026
Program Overview
The exact program for 2026 will be published by the organizer in spring/summer. The structure follows the proven key points of previous years:
Whit Saturday — May 23, 2026
- Opening of the Gildefest
- First festival evenings and dancing
Whit Sunday — May 24, 2026
- Festival service
- King's shooting and social programs
- Festival parades
Whit Monday — May 25, 2026
- King's dinner
- Guild receptions and ceremonies
- Evening festival catering
Whit Tuesday — May 26, 2026 (Main Day)
- Grand parade of the Wildeshauser Schützengilde von 1403
- Proclamation of the Schützenkönig
- Festival conclusion with dancing
Saturday — May 30, 2026 (Children's Schützenfest)
- Children's parade
- Children's King's shooting
- Family program in the city center
Highlights Gildefest 2026
- 623rd edition since 1403 — one of Germany's oldest Schützenfest traditions
- Grand parade on Whit Tuesday
- King's dinner, King's shooting, dance evenings
- Children's Schützenfest on Saturday, May 30th
- Organizer: Wildeshauser Schützengilde von 1403
Prices Gildefest 2026
Most of the public program is free of charge. Admission or membership is required for dance evenings, the King's dinner, and individual festival events.
Practical information — Gildefest
Dates 2026
- Whit Saturday, May 23, 2026 — Opening
- Whit Sunday, May 24, 2026
- Whit Monday, May 25, 2026
- Whit Tuesday, May 26, 2026 — Main Day
- Saturday, May 30, 2026 — Children's Schützenfest
Venue
Wildeshausen City Center — Market Square, Guild House, Festival Grounds, and parade routes through the Old Town.
Traffic Management
Special traffic management is in effect in the city center during the festival days. Current information available at wildeshausen.de.
Admission
Most of the festival program in public areas is free of charge. Admission fees or membership requirements apply for individual dance evenings and the King's dinner.
Getting There
Wildeshausen is located on the A1 motorway between Bremen and Osnabrück (exit Wildeshauser Geest). Train connections via the Bremen–Osnabrück line (Wildeshausen station).
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
Max. 5 photos, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Each suggestion is reviewed by our team before being published.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Gildefest al mejor precio.
Sponsored link