Schützenfest Bürgerschützenverein Cloppenburg 2026

Bürgerschützenverein Cloppenburg — The City's Traditional Club

The Bürgerschützenverein Cloppenburg e.V. is one of the city's most traditional clubs. Unlike the village shooting clubs in the surrounding districts, the BSV is a civic shooting club with a long club history and its own coat of arms. Its annual Schützenfest is a central event in the Cloppenburg event calendar, bringing together marksmen, citizens, and guests for a three-day festival weekend.

Royal Eagle Shooting — The Main Event

The highlight is the Royal Eagle Shooting on Saturday starting at 1:00 PM in the Stadtpark: The new shooting king is determined from the participating marksmen through the eagle shoot. This tradition — the eagle as a symbolic figure, the shooting as a competition for dignity — has centuries-old roots in many regions of Northern Germany. In parallel, the Children's Shooting Festival takes place: an event that introduces the younger generation to the tradition.

Three Days of Events

The 2026 festival spans three days:

• Friday, August 28th, from 4:30 PM: Parade of the marksmen, assembly in the city, opening of the festival
• Saturday, August 29th, from 1:00 PM: Royal Eagle Shooting and Children's Shooting Festival in the Stadtpark, evening festival ball with Honour Dance and Polonaise for the new royal throne
• Sunday, August 30th: Festive procession with friendly shooting clubs, morning pint (Frühschoppen), proclamation of the king, end of the festival

Honour Dance and Polonaise — Courtly Tradition

A special highlight is the Honour Dance for the new royal throne and the Polonaise — a ceremonial dance form where the reigning king opens the festivities in the ballroom with his queen and his court. These elements make the BSV Schützenfest a festive and courtly ceremony that goes beyond the usual festival tent format.