Schützenfest St. Sebastianus Euskirchen

St. Sebastianus Riflemen's Brotherhood Euskirchen — First documented before 1415

The St. Sebastianus Brotherhood Euskirchen is one of the oldest riflemen's brotherhoods in Germany. First documented before the year 1415, it looks back on over 600 years of uninterrupted tradition. The annual Schützenfest on June 7, 2026, is the social highlight of the club's year and one of the oldest Schützenfest dates in the Rhineland.

Program for the Festival Day

The festival day begins in the morning with a roll call at the club house. This is followed by the parade with riflemen in their official uniforms, flag delegations, brass bands, and friendly brotherhoods from the Euskirchen district association. The parade leads through the Euskirchen town center and ends at the riflemen's club house or festival grounds.

In the afternoon, the king bird shooting competition takes place. Whoever shoots the last piece of the wooden bird off the pole becomes the new Schützenkönig (Riflemen's King). This is followed by the proclamation, crowning, and swearing-in of the new king. In the afternoon and evening, there will be a formal ceremony, the King's Ball, dancing, and a joint conclusion to the festival at the club house or festival tent.

Saint Sebastian and the Riflemen's Tradition

Saint Sebastian — a Roman soldier of the 3rd century, a Christian martyr pierced by arrows — is considered the patron saint of riflemen's brotherhoods in the predominantly Catholic Rhineland. Several brotherhoods are united in the Euskirchen district association, inviting each other to their festivals. They maintain this connection through event invitations, pilgrimages, and joint activities.

Euskirchen — District Town on the Northern Edge of the Eifel

The district town of Euskirchen is the administrative seat of the Euskirchen district (North Rhine-Westphalia) and is located on the northern edge of the Eifel, transitioning into the Rhenish Plain. With around 60,000 inhabitants, it is an economically active medium-sized town conveniently located between Cologne, Bonn, and the Belgian border. The riflemen's tradition in Euskirchen, as elsewhere in the Eifel and the right-bank Rhineland, is firmly rooted in Catholic tradition.

Euskirchen District Association

The Euskirchen St. Sebastianus Brotherhood is part of the Euskirchen District Association, which unites the district's riflemen's clubs. The association coordinates dates, organizes joint pilgrimages, and fosters the brotherhood system — a remarkable continuity of civic tradition in a modern medium-sized town.