Vallendar Marksmen's and Family Festival 2026

Vallendar, a town of around 8,500 inhabitants on the right bank of the Rhine in the Mayen-Koblenz district and seat of the Vallendar collective municipality, looks back on a long tradition of marksmen's societies and civic associations. The Vallendar Marksmen's Society upholds this tradition and hosts its Marksmen's and Family Festival every year. In 2026, the festival will take place on the weekend of July 18th and 19th on the Rathausplatz.

Schützenfeste (marksmen's festivals) have a special significance in the Rhineland: they combine tradition, club life, and social interaction in a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. Originally stemming from urban defense systems, marksmen's societies evolved into brotherhoods that preserve customs, support each other, and celebrate their unity in annual festivals. In Vallendar, the focus is on being citizen-friendly: the 2026 festival bears the subtitle 'Schützen- und Familienfest' (Marksmen's and Family Festival) and is thus explicitly aimed at all generations and all citizens.

Before the actual festival week, the City Championship in small-bore rifle shooting will take place on July 11th, 2026 – an event organized by the Marksmen's Society to determine the city champions in small-bore rifle shooting. These competitions are a central part of marksmen's traditions and are among the program items that club members consider particularly important.

The actual festival days on July 18th and 19th will feature a festival tent, live music, shooting opportunities for everyone (air rifle, light rifle), culinary offerings with hearty cuisine, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options, as well as a family program. The central Rathausplatz in the heart of Vallendar provides a beautiful backdrop with the historic town hall as a setting.

Vallendar is located directly on the Rhine opposite Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein and is very well accessible by public transport (Vallendar station on the right Rhine line). Those who wish to combine the festival weekend in Vallendar with further explorations have the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in close proximity, the cable car to Koblenz, and numerous hiking trails in the Westerwald.