Schützenfest Schützenverein 1823 Pelkum

Shooting Club Since 1823

The Schützenverein 1823 Pelkum e.V. is one of the oldest clubs in Hamm-Pelkum, boasting over 200 years of traditional customs. Founded in 1823 as a civic association, the club has continuously preserved the Westphalian shooting tradition in Pelkum through political upheavals, world wars, and societal changes. In 2023, the club celebrated its 200th anniversary with a grand festival that involved the entire city of Hamm. The current chairman is Marc Lindermann.

Date 2026 — July 4 and 5

The 2026 Schützenfest is scheduled for the weekend of July 4–5, 2026, with the traditional kickoff on Friday evening, July 3. The venue is the Bürgerhalle Pelkum and the adjacent festival grounds in the heart of Pelkum. Hamm-Pelkum is a district in the south of Hamm, formerly an independent municipality — the Schützenverein 1823 has maintained its distinct club identity even after the municipal reforms of 1975.

Village Dance Night on Friday in the Bürgerhalle

The musical highlight is on Friday evening, July 3, 2026: a village dance night in the Bürgerhalle featuring singer Janina Beck, the DJ team BPmusik, and a performance by the club's own Posaunenchor Pelkum (brass band). The program combines classic Westphalian shooting traditions (brass band) with modern village dance entertainment (singer, DJ) — a proven format that attracts generations.

Saturday and Sunday — Competition and King's Crowning

Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to the classic Schützenfest rituals:

• Parade through Pelkum accompanied by shooting clubs, the brass band, and delegations from other shooting clubs in the Hamm area.
• Competitive shooting at the club's own shooting range — determining the new shooting king/queen.
• King's crowning with the handover of the sash and chain of office.
• King's Ball in the evening at the Bürgerhalle.
• Dance evening and festival conclusion on Sunday evening.

What is a Westphalian Schützenfest?

The Schützenfest is the most important club-based traditional event in North Rhine-Westphalia, especially in the Münsterland, Sauerland, and Westphalia regions. Originally stemming from medieval citizen militias, today's shooting clubs are social organizations that foster their local identity — with uniforms, marching music, competitive shooting, election of a king, and an annual summer festival day. Over a dozen shooting clubs are active in Hamm. The Schützenverein 1823 Pelkum e.V. is one of the most traditional, with an active brass band, ladies' and youth groups, and close ties to neighboring shooting clubs.

Pelkum and Hamm — Westphalia on the Eastern Edge of the Ruhr Area

Pelkum is a district in the south of Hamm in Westphalia, at the transition between the Ruhr area and Münsterland. With around 11,000 inhabitants and former independence (incorporated in 1975), Pelkum has retained a village-like civic identity where the shooting tradition is centrally anchored. Hamm itself has around 180,000 inhabitants and is a junction between Westphalia and the Ruhr area — historically one of Germany's most important railway hubs thanks to Hamm station.