Schützenfest Kirchveischede – 125th Anniversary

The Club Turns 125

The St. Hubertus Kirchveischede Schützenverein 1901 e.V. celebrates its 125th club anniversary in 2026 – founded in 1901. The annual Schützenfest, traditionally held on the last weekend of July or the first weekend of August, will therefore be celebrated in a particularly festive setting in 2026, from July 31 to August 2, 2026. Local media (LokalPlus, Westfalenpost) have confirmed the date multiple times.

Kirchveischede – A Sauerland Schützen Village

Kirchveischede is one of the districts of Lennestadt in the Olpe district, with around 1,500 inhabitants, nestled in the hilly landscape of the southern Sauerland on the border with the Wittgensteiner Bergland. The district has a strong club culture – the St. Sebastian parish, the music club, the fire brigade, and the Schützenverein form the social backbone.

Program – Classic Sauerland Schützenfest

The program follows the traditional Sauerland Schützenfest schedule:

• Friday, July 31, 2026: Muster, ceremonial march, church opening, festive ceremony in the marquee.
• Saturday, August 1, 2026: Bird shooting at the festival grounds – the highlight of the day, shooting the king, followed by the crowning of the new king and queen, king's dance, and festival ball.
• Sunday, August 2, 2026: Grand parade through the district, morning pint, family afternoon, king's celebration, and end of the festival.

Sauerland and Schützenwesen

The Sauerland – the medium-high mountain region of South Westphalia between the Ruhr and Lenne rivers – is one of the most densely populated Schützenfest regions in Germany. Practically every district has a club, often with over 100 years of tradition. This strength of club culture is the identity-forming element of the region. The 125th anniversary of Kirchveischede is therefore not an exception, but part of a wide network of similarly old Sauerland brotherhoods.

Background and Saint Hubertus

The patron saint of the club is Saint Hubertus – patron saint of hunters and riflemen, died 727 AD in the Ardennes, highly revered in the Catholic regions of Westphalia, Rhineland, and Belgium.