Historical Freischießen Wennigsen

A Tradition of Rarity

While most Schützenfeste (marksmen's festivals) and traditional festivals take place annually, the Historical Freischießen Wennigsen has maintained a special rhythm: it is held only every three years. This rarity enhances the celebratory character and allows for particularly elaborate preparation. 2026 is a festival year.

The Format

Unlike the classic Schützenfest with bird shooting and king's dinner, the Freischießen Wennigsen focuses on a historically staged festival form:

• Garden groups – several subgroups in historical uniforms with their own flags, drums, and musical accompaniment
• Landsturm detachment – recreated as a historical folk militia, complements the scene
• Horses and carriages – riders and teams parade through the town streets
• Historical costumes – carefully crafted uniforms and traditional attire

Preparations 2026

In the run-up to the festival, several internal association dates will take place:

• Sunday, May 3rd, 2026 – Losmachen (festive kickoff of the preparation phase)
• Thursday, June 4th, 2026 – Uniform distribution
• Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 – Officers' meeting
• Saturday, June 13th, 2026 – Horse music

Festival Days June 20–23, 2026

The actual festival weekend extends from Saturday, June 20th, to Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026. Over the several days, there will be parades, social events, a festival tent program, and the Freischießen itself.

Organizers

Behind the festival is an association with around 150 active members who maintain the tradition with great voluntary commitment. Current information at historisches-freischiessen.de.