Schützenfest Büren (Bürgerschützen)

Shooting Culture in the Paderborn Bishopric

The Paderborn district is one of the strongholds of shooting culture in Germany. Over 70 Schützenfeste take place here annually — almost every village, every farming community, every district maintains its own shooting club. One of them: the Bürener Bürgerschützen e.V., who will celebrate their Schützenfest in the town of Büren from Saturday, July 11th, to Monday, July 13th, 2026.

King and Queen 2025/26

Currently, Anna-Lena and Christoph Neesen reign as King and Queen of the Bürener Bürgerschützen. They were chosen at the 2025 bird shooting and represent the club throughout the year at festivals, receptions, and gatherings. The new King and Queen will be chosen at the 2026 festival — the highlight of the shooting weekend is the bird shooting, where the shooting king takes the final shot at the wooden bird, thus taking over the royal office for one year.

Motto 2026: 'Celebrating Together — What Connects Us'

The motto captures a core idea of the shooting fraternity: community, tradition, intergenerational encounters. In times when many rural structures are under pressure, the Schützenfest is often the most important social platform where generations come together and community life is celebrated.

Program (Classic Schedule)

• Saturday, July 11th, 2026 — Festival ceremony / Beer tapping, evening dance in the festival tent
• Sunday, July 12th, 2026 — Festive high mass in the parish church, parade of the Bürgerschützen in uniform through the town center, morning pint, bird shooting with proclamation of the King, evening King's ball
• Monday, July 13th, 2026 — Morning pint, King's ceremony, closing event

Büren — District Capital in the Almetal

Büren (approx. 22,000 inhabitants) is located in the south of the Paderborn district, in the Almetal, one of the most beautiful river valleys in the Sauerland region. The town, with its Jesuit past (Mauritius-Gymnasium, Jesuit College), has a charming historic town center and is home to several shooting, sports, and music clubs. The rural surroundings with the Alme springs, views of the Egge hills, and small hamlets make the region an attractive destination for day trips.

Shooting Tradition in the Paderborn Region

In the Paderborn district — historically the Hochstift Paderborn, a secular principality of the Archbishop — the shooting tradition has held special significance since the Middle Ages. The Bürgerschützen were originally the town militia, which had the right and duty to defend the town. From this military tradition, the current club and festival culture developed over the centuries — with the annual Schützenfest as the central highlight.