Schützenfest Duderstadt

Marksmen's Guild Since 1302

The Duderstadt Marksmen's Guild is one of the oldest marksmen's guilds in Germany. Its first documented mention in 1302 dates back over seven hundred years, making the guild an institution of the Eichsfeld community. Over the centuries, the guild has celebrated the Schützenfest in various forms, but always as a festival for the entire citizenry of Duderstadt.

Festival Tent, Ballroom, and Beer Garden

The structure of the festival is divided into three main areas. The festival tent is the central location for evening festivities, catering, and the stage program. The ballroom offers a more formal setting for dance evenings and balls. The beer garden area with amusement rides is the Volksfest component, making the festival attractive to families and young people. This division creates space for different needs and audiences.

Ceremonial Reception in the Town Hall

The festive opening will take place on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. with the ceremonial reception in the Duderstadt Town Hall. This official opening, with welcoming speeches, honors, and awards, marks the official start of the festival and connects the Marksmen's Guild with the city of Duderstadt as an institutional partner.

Grand Parade on Saturday

The highlight of the festival week is the grand parade on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 11 a.m. The Marksmen's Guild, with its ladies', active, and youth sections, accompanied by friendly clubs, marching bands, and traditional costume groups, will march through the Duderstadt city center. Thousands of spectators will line the streets. The parade is one of the most impressive Schützenfest spectacles in southern Lower Saxony.

Children's Parade on Monday

Another important program item is the children's parade on Monday. The youngest members of the marksmen's family and the children of the city will participate in the parade. This child-friendly version of the grand parade is a gesture to the next generation and an expression of the Marksmen's Guild's youth development work.

Eichsfeld and Duderstadt

Duderstadt is the historical capital of the Eichsfeld, a region at the border of Lower Saxony and Thuringia. The old town, with its over 600 half-timbered houses and the famous crooked town hall, is considered one of the most beautiful old town ensembles in Germany. The Catholic character of the Eichsfeld – an island of Catholicism in a predominantly Protestant region – is also reflected in the Schützenfest with its solemn and dignified character.