Name: Kilian-Schützenfest Schermbeck 2026
Start: 2026-07-10T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-07-13T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Königreich am Mühlenteich, Schermbeck

Kilian-Schützenfest

About Kilian-Schützenfest

From July 10th to 13th, 2026, the Kilian Marksmen's Guild of 1602 invites you to the traditional Kilian-Schützenfest in the Kingdom on the Mill Pond. With over four centuries of history, the guild is one of the oldest marksmen's brotherhoods in the Lower Rhine region. The four-day festival combines historical customs — King proclamation, bird shooting, marksmen's parade — with modern folk festival activities on the Mill Pond in Schermbeck.

Dates 10 Jul — 13 Jul 2026

Venue Schermbeck (05170)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Kilian-Schützenfest — edition 2026

The 2026 Kilian-Schützenfest combines traditional customs with modern folk festival activities from July 10th to 13th. A new King will be chosen by bird shooting at the Kingdom on the Mill Pond, parades will march through Schermbeck, and the festival evenings will conclude in the large tent.

For four days, the Kilian Marksmen's Guild of 1602 will shape Schermbeck's summer weekend. The festival tent, bird shooting, parades through the town center, and a King's ball form the classic schedule of a Lower Rhine Schützenfest.

Highlights Kilian-Schützenfest 2026

Over 420 years of marksmen's tradition
King shooting and King proclamation
Grand parade on Sunday
Festival tent by the idyllic Mill Pond

Programme Kilian-Schützenfest 2026

Friday, July 10, 2026 — Opening

Reception of guests of honor at the Kingdom on the Mill Pond
Festival ceremony
Opening evening in the festival tent

Saturday, July 11, 2026 — King's Day

Parade of the Kilian Marksmen through Schermbeck
Bird shooting to determine the new King
Coronation and proclamation
King's ball in the festival tent

Sunday, July 12, 2026 — Festival Mass and Parade

High mass
Grand parade
King's ceremony with court
Evening program in the festival tent

Monday, July 13, 2026 — Family Day

Family program at the Mill Pond
Closing evening in the festival tent

Detailed program and times at kilian-schuetzengilde.de.

Prices Kilian-Schützenfest 2026

Outdoor program items are free. Festival evenings in the tent have their own conditions.

Practical information

Practical information — Kilian-Schützenfest

Getting There

By car: A3 exit Hamminkeln or A31 exit Schermbeck, then follow signs for the town center. By train: nearest ICE station is Wesel, then take bus 21 to Schermbeck.

Admission

Mostly free during the day (parades, public program items). Admission fees or advance booking may apply for festival evenings in the tent.

Tip

The Sunday parade is the absolute highlight. Anyone who wants to experience marksmen's culture authentically should plan the entire Sunday — from the high mass to the King's ball.

Over 420 Years of Marksmen Tradition

The Kilian Marksmen's Guild Schermbeck of 1602 e.V. looks back on an uninterrupted tradition of more than 420 years — one of the oldest marksmen's brotherhoods in the Lower Rhine region. Its annual Kilian-Schützenfest is the biggest event of the summer season in Schermbeck's festival calendar. In 2026, the festival runs from Friday, July 10th, to Monday, July 13th.

The Kingdom on the Mill Pond as a Festival Setting

The festival grounds, which the guild traditionally calls the "Kingdom on the Mill Pond", are located on the idyllic Mill Pond in Schermbeck. Every year, the guild sets up its festival tent here, and the King proclamation, festival balls, and central ceremonies take place here. The area combines water, old trees, and the festival tent to create a typical Lower Rhine Schützenfest backdrop.

Program and Customs

The four-day festival follows a traditional rhythm that has hardly changed for generations:

Friday: Opening, reception of guests of honor, festival ceremony, tattoo
Saturday: Marksmen's parade through Schermbeck, bird shooting to find the new King, coronation of the new King
Sunday: High mass, grand parade, King proclamation, King's ball
Monday: Family day, evening finale in the festival tent

Schermbeck's Marksmen's Culture

Schermbeck — a municipality in the Wesel district in North Rhine-Westphalia with around 13,500 inhabitants — cultivates a distinct marksmen's culture. In addition to the Kilian Guild, there are other clubs in the districts, but the Kilian Guild's festival is considered the most prominent. It attracts not only Schermbeck residents but also guests from the neighboring municipalities of Hünxe, Wesel, and Dorsten every year.

Saint Kilian as Patron Saint

The guild is named after Saint Kilian (c. 640–689) — an Irish itinerant missionary and martyr, revered as the "Apostle of the Franks". His feast day on July 8th traditionally marks the date of the Schützenfest in numerous German Kilian communities — including Schermbeck.