Schützenfest Selm-Beifang

Schützenfest on Whitsun Weekend

The Bürgerschützengilde Selm-Beifang traditionally holds its Schützenfest on the Whitsun weekend. In 2026, the festival runs from Friday, May 22 to Whit Monday, May 25. The event center is the festival grounds near the shooting range at Kreuzkamp in Selm-Beifang, a rural district of the town of Selm in the northern Kreis Unna (state of North Rhine-Westphalia).

Generalausmarsch on April 25, 2026

A month before the festival, on Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Generalausmarsch kicks off the marksmen's season – an official 'rehearsal' for the main festival. The meeting point is at 1:30 PM at the reigning Kaiser André Groß's at Kreisstraße 24. Afterwards, the parade, accompanied by the marching band of the volunteer fire brigade, proceeds to the Kreuzkamp shooting range. From 3 PM, the Bürgerschützengilde welcomes visitors; at 3:30 PM, the Kaiserschießen (Emperor's shooting) begins, determining the successor to the reigning Emperor – not to be confused with the King's shot, which takes place during the main festival. Coffee and cake are served by the ladies' company, along with food and drinks. After the proclamation, music and dancing follow.

Whitsun Weekend: Four Days of Events

The actual festival week begins on Friday, May 22, 2026, with the festival ball and DJ program by BK Event DJ Team. On Saturday, May 23, the focus is on the bird shooting and proclamation of the new King and Queen. Sunday, May 24, features the second festival ball with the cover band BIRDIES. Whit Monday, May 25, concludes the festival week with the traditional morning pint and DJ Fritz. Unlike the Generalausmarsch, the main festival on Whitsun weekend determines the new Schützenkönig (King); the Emperor, however, is only re-elected every few years.

Tradition and Identity

Selm-Beifang, like many other districts in the region, is part of the marksmen's tradition, which is particularly vibrant in the Münsterland region of North Rhine-Westphalia and the adjacent Ruhr area. The Bürgerschützengilde organizes regular shooting evenings throughout the year at the Zweifachhalle Selm-Bork (always at 7:00 PM) and participates in inter-regional events such as the Netteberge Highland Games or the Selm-Cappenberg soapbox derby. The Schützenfest is the highlight of the club's year and a fixed date for many Selm residents, representing their village-oriented identity.

Selm and the Lippe River

Selm is located in the Kreis Unna on the Lippe River, north of Lünen and west of Werne. The town, with nearly 30,000 inhabitants, consists of four districts: Selm-Mitte, Bork, Cappenberg, and Beifang. Beifang, the smallest of the four districts, preserves its village heritage particularly intensely – also through the activities of the Bürgerschützengilde.