Schützenfest Dornbusch

Kehdingen Municipality — Land on the Elbe

The Kehdingen municipality is located in the northern Stade district, directly on the Elbe. It comprises several villages and districts, including Drochtersen and its districts. The region is characterized by marshland, dykes, and waterways and has its own distinct identity as "Land Kehdingen". Club life in Kehdingen is vibrant despite its relative remoteness — or perhaps because of it.

Drochtersen and the Dornbusch District

Drochtersen is one of the larger municipalities in the Kehdingen municipality with several districts. Dornbusch is one of these districts and retains its village character with active club life. The Dornbusch Shooting Club is one of the central club elements and the driving force behind the village's festival culture.

Three Days of Festivities in June

The shooting festival spans three days from Friday to Sunday in June. June is a preferred festival time for many North German shooting clubs, as the weather is typically reliably good and the summer holidays have not yet begun.

Bird Shooting and King Proclamation

As with all shooting festivals in the North German tradition, the bird shooting to determine the new majesties is at the center. The proclamation of the king, with the handover of royal dignity to the new shooting king and his court, is the emotional highlight of the festival weekend.

Festive Procession, Dance Evenings, and Family Day

The traditional festive procession leads through the district, accompanied by fife and drum corps, music bands, and friendly clubs from the Kehdingen municipality. The dance evenings in the festival tent with live music offer an opportunity for village conviviality. A family day with a children's king shooting rounds off the program.

Rural Festival Culture in the Marsh

The shooting festival in Dornbusch is exemplary of the rural festival culture of the Lower Saxon marshes. Where urban shooting traditions often attract hundreds or thousands of guests, the village festival in Dornbusch creates a more intimate, personal atmosphere — the festival community knows each other, village ties are strengthened, and club life is nurtured.