Kirchweih- und Königsschießen Ehingen am Ries

Kirchweih- und Königsschießen — When Shooting Sports and Village Fair Combine

In the rural communities of Swabia, shooting sports often meet with the village fair (Kirchweih) for a joint festival. In Ehingen am Ries, this tradition takes place every year in September: the local shooting club invites to the Königsschießen (King's Shoot) at the Schützenheim by the community center, while the village celebrates its Kirchweih in parallel.

Ehingen am Ries — Municipality in the UNESCO Geopark Ries

Ehingen am Ries is located in the Donau-Ries district (Bavaria), not far from the imperial city of Nördlingen, in the heart of the Nördlinger Ries — the approximately 15-million-year-old impact crater, which is now a UNESCO Global Geopark Ries. The small municipality with around 1,100 inhabitants consists of several districts. The local shooting club is one of the traditional clubs rooted in the village community.

Königsschießen — Course of a Swabian Shooting Tradition

The Königsschießen is one of the most traditional forms of club activities in Southern Germany and determines the club's "Schützenkönig" (Shooting King) or "Schützenkönigin" (Shooting Queen) for the coming year every autumn:

• Members shoot with a sport rifle at a designated King's target
• The best shot (usually in a 'Teiler' competition, where the accuracy of the hit positions relative to the center of the target counts) becomes the Shooting King
• Subsequently, the result is festively announced at the award ceremony

In Ehingen, the opening takes place on Friday, September 25th, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Schützenheim. The competition extends over the weekend. The festive award ceremony is scheduled for Friday, October 16th, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Schützenheim.

Kirchweih — Village Patron Saint's Day

In parallel or directly linked, the village celebrates its Kirchweih — the annual patron saint's day celebration of the parish church. The shooting club organizes the Kirchweih shooting competition, and the village gathers at the community center or in the Schützenheim for refreshments, conversations, and dancing. Unlike tourist-oriented festivals, the focus is on the village community and club life.