Schützenfest Clarholz-Heerde

Shooting Tradition in the Heerde District

The Schützenfest Clarholz-Heerde of the Schützenbruderschaft St. Hubertus Clarholz-Heerde e.V. is the largest Schützenfest of the year in the festival calendar of the municipality of Herzebrock-Clarholz. In 2026, the festival will take place on the last weekend of August, from Friday, August 28, to Sunday, August 30, 2026.

Heerde — The Rural Community with its Own Shooting Life

Heerde is a district of the twin municipality of Herzebrock-Clarholz (Gütersloh district, eastern Münsterland in North Rhine-Westphalia). The municipality of Herzebrock-Clarholz has around 16,000 inhabitants. While the Schützengilde Herzebrock is active in the main town of Clarholz, the Bruderschaft St. Hubertus Clarholz-Heerde traditionally maintains its own shooting traditions in Heerde.

Program and Customs

The three-day festival follows the classic Schützenfest rhythm of the region:

• Friday: Opening evening in the festival tent, reception of the brotherhood members, program with live music
• Saturday: Assembly of the shooters, king's shooting, proclamation and crowning of the new king and queen, evening king's ball
• Sunday: High mass in honor of the patron saint St. Hubertus, grand parade through Heerde, king's ceremony with court, festive conclusion

St. Hubertus as Patron Saint

The patron of the brotherhood is Saint Hubertus (c. 655–727) — Bishop of Liège and legendary patron saint of hunters and shooters. His feast day on November 3 is closely linked to shooting traditions in Catholic customs. In Heerde, however, the summer Schützenfest is traditionally celebrated on the last weekend of August, while the Hubertus service in November has a quieter character.