Schützenfest Kirchhundem

Kirchhundem — Municipality in the Southern Sauerland

The municipality of Kirchhundem is located in the southern Olpe district (Arnsberg administrative district), nestled in the Sauerland region with its low mountain forests. Approximately 6,000 inhabitants are spread across twelve districts, with the core town of Kirchhundem having around 1,500. The region is deeply Catholic — and thus, the Schützenwesen (shooting club tradition), which has remained a remarkably vibrant tradition in the Sauerland, is inextricably linked to village life.

Schützenverein Kirchhundem 1908 e.V. — 780 Members

Founded on July 26th, 1908, with 57 members, the Schützenverein Kirchhundem 1908 e.V. is now one of the largest associations in the municipality with around 780 members. The club motto: "Faith, Custom, Homeland" — the classic triad of Sauerland Schützenwesen, which draws from Catholic-religious roots, village customs, and attachment to homeland. The annual Schützenfest is the undisputed highlight of the club year.

Date 2026 — Second Weekend of August

Traditionally, the Schützenfest is celebrated "every second weekend in August" — as the club itself puts it: "with friends, neighbors, and acquaintances." For 2026, the festival weekend is scheduled from Friday, August 7th, to Sunday, August 9th, 2026. The club invites you to the festival with the slogan "Horrido, see you at the Schützenfest 2026!"

Program — Three Days of Sauerland Tradition

The Sauerland Schützenfest follows a fixed ritual that has hardly changed for decades:

Friday — Festival Opening

• Afternoon: Assembly at the club house, march to the Schützenhalle
• Evening: Grand opening evening with dancing, live music by the dance band, beer, and Sauerland specialties

Saturday — King's Shooting and Coronation Ball

• Morning: Festival High Mass in the parish church of St. Peter and Paul Kirchhundem, followed by a memorial ceremony
• Afternoon: King's Shooting at the bird — the decisive moment when the new Schützenkönig (shooting king) is determined by shooting down the wooden eagle
• Evening: Coronation Ball with the ceremonial enthronement of the new royal couple, dancing until late

Sunday — Parade and Family Day

• Afternoon: Grand Parade through Kirchhundem with friendly clubs from the Olpe district and neighboring brotherhoods
• Ladies' reception and children's afternoon with children's king's shooting with air rifle for the youth
• Evening: Festival winding down in the Schützenhalle

Festival Hall as the Centerpiece

The Schützenhalle Kirchhundem is not only the venue for the Schützenfest but also the year-round meeting and festival hall for the community. It was built by the club members themselves and serves as a dance and banqueting hall, houses the shooting center with air rifle and small-caliber ranges, and is also available for weddings, family celebrations, and concerts.

Tradition with Vibrant Club Life

The Schützenwesen in the Sauerland — and in Kirchhundem in particular — is more than just tradition: it is youth work (own shooting performance groups), sport (regular championships), sociability (regulars' table, family festivals), and denominational commitment (Schützenmesse, accompanying the Corpus Christi procession, memorial ceremony). The club has also made a name for itself through out-of-town Schützenfeste in neighboring towns — for example, at the Schützenfest Oberhundem.

Getting to Kirchhundem

By car via the A 45 (exit Olpe or Krombach) — parking spaces around the Schützenhalle and at the festival grounds. By public transport: Bus line R 16 from Olpe ZOB, stop Kirchhundem Mitte, from there a short walk to the Schützenhalle. The nearest train station is Altenhundem (RB and RE lines), with bus connections from there.