Schützenfest ABSV Essen-Borbeck 1833

Borbeck — The Essen District with its Own Identity

If you head northwest in Essen, you'll reach Borbeck — one of Essen's largest districts with the strongest sense of identity, home to around 35,000 inhabitants. Borbeck was an independent town until 1915, only being incorporated into Essen then. This history is evident today in a strong sense of district consciousness: its own Borbecker Bund (association of Borbeck brotherhoods and clubs), its own identification as Borbeckers, its own event traditions. The Schützenfest of the ABSV 1833 is one of the most important summer events in this district.

ABSV Essen-Borbeck 1833 — Almost Two Centuries of Tradition

The Allgemeiner Bürger-Schützen-Verein Essen-Borbeck 1833 e.V. is one of Borbeck's oldest associations. Its founding in 1833 dates back to the era of the bourgeois association movement in the early 19th century — Borbeck was still an independent civic community at the time, and the marksmen's association was a form of civic self-organization. With nearly 200 years of history, the ABSV ranks among the oldest marksmen's associations in Essen.

Festival Tent at Neuer Markt — Since 2000

The venue for the festival is the festival tent at Neuer Markt in the center of Borbeck — established as a firm tradition since 2000. Before that, the tent locations changed several times. Neuer Markt is centrally located in Borbeck's shopping district, within walking distance of the parish church of St. Dionysius (site of the ecumenical service) and the market square. Its central location makes the festival a meeting point for the people of Borbeck — business owners, citizens, associations — in a neutral festival space.

Four Festival Days in 2026 — Wednesday to Sunday

The Schützenfest spans several days with a clear choreography:

• Wednesday afternoon (June 24th): Pre-festival day with 'warm-up' in the festival tent — a joint invitation to the people of Borbeck and friendly associations. A relaxed start before the official festival begins.
• Friday evening (June 26th): Official opening with an ecumenical service in the parish church of St. Dionysius — celebrated jointly by the Catholic and Protestant communities, followed by a march to the festival tent.
• Saturday (June 27th): Grand parade through the streets of Borbeck — with associations from the Borbecker Bund and friendly brotherhoods. Afterwards, the civic ball in the festival tent with dancing and live music.
• Sunday (June 28th): Musical wake-up call in the morning, visit to the nursing home (social tradition), then a march to the festival tent for the prize shooting. The new 'King of Borbeck' reigns for three years (instead of the usual one-year term). Concludes with the coronation ball.

Ecumenical Service at St. Dionysius

A special feature is the ecumenical service in the parish church of St. Dionysius as the opening ritual. While most traditional West German Schützenfeste begin with a Catholic service (brotherhoods are historically associated with Catholicism), the ABSV Essen-Borbeck explicitly opens itself to the Protestant population with an ecumenical service. This ecumenical openness is a hallmark of Borbeck's marksmen's tradition — also explainable by the historically mixed confessional structure in the Ruhr area.

Three-Year Reign for the King — A Borbeck Specialty

A Borbeck peculiarity is the three-year term of office for the king (instead of the usual one year). Whoever wins the prize shooting on Sunday can call themselves 'King of Borbeck' — for three years. This unusual regulation gives the title of king special weight and makes the competition more intense: the chance to become king is not available every year.

Borbeck Parade — Marksmen's Network

The parade on Saturday is the most publicly visible part of the program. With floats, music bands, and delegations from brotherhoods from the entire Borbecker Bund as well as friendly associations from other Essen districts, the procession moves through the streets of Borbeck. Invited associations come from surrounding marksmen's clubs (Schönebeck, Frintrop, Bergeborbeck), from the western Ruhr area, and partly from the neighboring Bocholt-Borken region.

Social Tradition — Visit to the Nursing Home

A cherished tradition on festival Sunday is the visit to the nursing home by the association after the musical wake-up call — before the association marches to the festival tent. With a music band and the association's banner, the ABSV visits care facilities, plays for the residents, and engages in conversations. This social dimension elevates the Schützenfest beyond a mere club event and underscores the civic responsibility of the ABSV within the district.