Schloss- und Schützenfest Zschopau

Wildeck Castle as the Festival Backdrop

Wildeck Castle, the imposing Renaissance castle above the Zschopau River, has been the landmark of the eponymous Ore Mountain town for centuries. On the last weekend of August, it becomes the stage for the Schloss- und Schützenfest — for three days, the grounds and the surrounding castle garden transform into a venue of music, tradition, and conviviality. The event is organized by the city of Zschopau together with the local shooting club.

Program Friday to Sunday

Friday traditionally kicks off with the rock band «Thor», followed by a DJ performance and appearances by Tanzwerk Zschopau. The official opening is performed by the mayor. Saturday focuses on brass music from partner city ensembles from Louny (Czech Republic) and Drebach — flanked by the Westernhagen cover band «Willenlos Sexy» and the City Ballett Zschopau. Sunday is family day with an open-air church service, the children's interactive program «Dschungelbande von Rodscha und Tom», and relaxed live music in the castle garden.

Shooting Club, Crossbows, and King's Shooting

The Zschopau shooting club organizes the traditional crossbow shooting — a historical discipline practiced in many Saxon mining towns. The highlight is the king's shooting, where the new shooting king is proclaimed. Children can also participate in a specially organized shooting activity. A motorcycle church service on Sunday commemorates Zschopau's tradition as a former MZ motorcycle city.

Zschopau, the Erzgebirgskreis, and the Gateway to the Ore Mountains

Zschopau is located in the Erzgebirgskreis district, on the Zschopau River of the same name, a tributary of the Mulde. For decades, the city was the center of East German motorcycle production — the former MZ factories still shape its identity today. Visitors to the festival can subsequently explore the Motorcycle Museum or take a hiking trip into the nearby Ore Mountains.