Bürger- und Schützenfest Grafenwald

Homeland and Marksmen's Festival in Northern Bottrop

The Bürger- und Schützenfest Grafenwald is the annual major event in the Grafenwald district, a northern part of the city of Bottrop in the western Ruhr area (state of North Rhine-Westphalia). The festival is organized by the Schützenverein Grafenwald e.V., which uses this event to combine tradition and the entire life of the district. For three days, the venue is Hans-Söller-Platz – a central square specifically designed for such festivities.

2026 Program: Three Days, Three Accents

Friday, June 30, 2026

The first day focuses on tradition: 5 PM Assembly, church service, and the Grand Tattoo, from 7 PM Opening with honors, and 8 PM Opening Party with fireworks. Thus, the opening day is deliberately a mix of festive and solemn start (Grand Tattoo, honors) and folk festival atmosphere (fireworks, party music).

Saturday, July 1, 2026

Saturday starts child-friendly: 9:15 AM Registration for the Children's Marksmen's Festival, from 10:15 AM Assembly, breakfast, and bird shooting. In the afternoon at 3:30 PM Parade through Grafenwald, in the evening from 8 PM Dance with the party band Concorde on the festival grounds.

Sunday, July 2, 2026

Sunday marks the highlight: 10:15 AM Assembly for community breakfast and bird shooting. The bird shooting determines the new king and queen. In the afternoon at 5:15 PM Parade, in the evening from 8 PM Coronation Ball again with the party band Concorde – a proven musical companion for this marksmen's festival.

Tradition in the District

Marksmen's festivals have a long tradition in northern Bottrop and the adjacent Münsterland region. The Grafenwald marksmen's association explicitly cultivates them as a district festival: The Bürger- und Schützenfest is not limited to club members but is supported by the entire district. Residents, friendly clubs, and the parish community are involved. The term 'Bürgerfest' in the official title refers to this broad foundation.

Grafenwald — A Village in Bottrop

Grafenwald is located north of the Bottrop district of Kirchhellen, between fields and small woods – rural in character, with its own clubs and parishes. Movie Park Germany is nearby (Kirchhellen-Feldhausen), Schloss Beck and Heidhof are other excursion destinations. The rural atmosphere makes the marksmen's festival particularly authentic – far from the hustle and bustle of the large Ruhr area.