Schützenfest Lünen-Süd

100 Years of Marksmen Tradition in Southern Lünen

The Schützenverein 1925 Lünen-Süd und Umgebung e.V. celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025/26 — reason enough to organize the 2026 Schützenfest with special commitment. The club life includes young marksmen, sports shooters, a ladies' shooting group, the battalion with several companies, a marching band, and since 2019, an archery section. In 2022, the club received an award from the state of NRW in the "Moderne Sportstätte" program.

Two Weekends — The 2026 Schedule

Like many traditional Schützenfeste in NRW, Lünen-Süd doesn't run continuously but over two consecutive weekends — a specific tradition of Westphalian Schützenfeste:

• 1st Weekend: July 3–5, 2026
  • Friday: Festival opening, festival tent opening, dance evening
  • Saturday: Vogelschießen (bird shoot) — the traditional shooting at the wooden bird, at the end of which the new marksman king or queen is determined
  • Sunday: Children's Schützenfest — children's parade, children's king shoot, family program
• 2nd Weekend: July 11–12, 2026
  • Saturday: Crowning of the new King and Queen in the festival tent with a dance band
  • Sunday: Grand Parade through the district — marching bands, marksmen companies, guest clubs, floats

Vogelschießen — The Core of Tradition

The Vogelschießen (bird shoot) is the oldest custom of the marksmen's tradition: a wooden eagle hangs on a tall mast, which the marksmen shoot at one by one. Whoever knocks down the last splinter becomes the new king and chooses a queen (or vice versa — today, queens are also chosen). The subsequent crowning is a major social event in the district.

Festival Tent, Marching Band, Dance Evenings

A large festival tent with live bands and DJs is available throughout the festival days. The club's marching band musically shapes the marches and processions — march music, chorales, festive pieces. Dance evenings with popular music are held on Friday and Saturday, and the festival tent is usually full until late in the evening.

Lünen — Marksmen Tradition in the Ruhr Area

With a good 87,000 inhabitants, Lünen is the largest city in the Unna district and lies on the northern edge of the Ruhr area. Marksmen culture has been anchored here for centuries; many districts have their own clubs and festivals. Lünen-Süd, the district around the former mining site, is one of the most vibrant marksmen areas in the city.