Schützenfest Rhede (Ems) – Altrhede

Rhede (Ems) — A Shooting Stronghold of the Emsland

The municipality of Rhede (Ems) in the northern Emsland region is one of Germany's most prominent shooting strongholds. Eleven independent shooting clubs alone cultivate a distinct shooting tradition in the municipality and its districts, shaping social life for many months of the year. From early summer to late summer, Schützenfest follows Schützenfest, and the annual Schützengipfel (shooting summit) in November traditionally marks the end of the year for the Rhede shooting clubs.

Kick-off with the Altrhede Shooting Club

The Altrhede Shooting Club is one of the oldest clubs in the municipality and, with its festival on the first weekend of June, traditionally kicks off the season. Three days of celebration are scheduled for 2026: From Saturday, June 6th, to Monday, June 8th, the Schützenplatz will become the center of village life. The festivities begin on Saturday evening with a ceremonial assembly and the first festival evening in the tent. Sunday is dedicated to the king's shooting competition, the proclamation of the new king, and the king's dance, while Monday is traditionally reserved for the festive conclusion and the king's dinner.

The Annual Schützengipfel

A special feature of Rhede's shooting culture is the Schützengipfel—a gathering of all the municipality's clubs held annually in November. In 2026, the 39th Schützengipfel will take place on November 8th. At this assembly, the boards of all eleven clubs come together for a joint evening, review the past year, and plan upcoming activities. This gives Rhede's shooting culture an organized structure that is unique in this form in Germany.

Embedded in the Rhede Festival Calendar 2026

Following the Altrhede festival in 2026 are the festivals of the women's shooting clubs (June 12–14), Büngern (June 20–22, with anniversary), Spoler (June 26–28), Vardingholt Kirche (July 3–5), Krechting (July 6–8, with anniversary), Crommert (July 10–12), the Junggesellen (bachelor's club, Aug 28–31), and Bauernschützen (farmers' shooting club, Sept 5). The Altrhede festival thus holds a special position as the opening event of a months-long series of celebrations.