Schützenfest Rhede (Ems) – Junggesellen

Junggesellenschützen — a Special Tradition

The tradition of Junggesellenschützen (bachelor riflemen) is widespread in the Westphalian, Münsterland, and western Emsland regions and represents a special form of shooting club traditions. While the classic shooting clubs unite men of all ages and marital statuses, the Junggesellen clubs are explicitly reserved for younger, unmarried men. The annual highlight of club life is the Junggesellen-Schützenfest, which is celebrated with particular verve and its own festival culture.

Four Days of Celebration on the Kettlerplatz

The 2026 festival spans four days from Friday, August 28th to Monday, August 31st. This extended festival duration underscores the special significance of the Junggesellen festival within Rhede's shooting culture. The Kettlerplatz becomes the festival grounds, and the festival tent the venue for the shooting ball, proclamation of the king, and dance evenings. Friday marks the opening, Saturday the king's shooting and proclamation, Sunday the main festive day, and Monday the conclusion.

King's Shooting and Tradition

The Junggesellen's king's shooting is a particularly coveted honor for the young men of the club. Whoever shoots down the last splinter of the wooden bird is proclaimed Junggesellenkönig (bachelor king) and chooses his queen. The Junggesellenkönig leads the club for one year, represents it at the festivals of friendly clubs, and bears the responsibility for the tradition until his wedding or the next king.

Embedded in the Rhede Festival Calendar

The Junggesellen festival is one of the late summer highlights of the 2026 Rhede shooting season, which opens with Altrhede (June) and concludes with the Junggesellen festival and the Bauernschützenfest (farmers' shooting festival) in early September. With a total of eleven independent shooting clubs, Rhede (Ems) boasts a density of shooting culture unique in its kind, where each club has its fixed place and its own tradition.