Schützenfeste Isselburg — 6 Ortsteile 2026

Six Schützenfeste in one municipal area

The town of Isselburg in the Borken district (North Rhine-Westphalia) is one of the few municipalities in Germany with six Schützenfeste per year — one in each of its six districts. This connects the town between Niederrhein and Münsterland from May to August 2026 into one long Schützenfest season.

The six districts of Isselburg

Herzebocholt — Opening in May

The district of Herzebocholt (east of Isselburg, on the border with Münsterland) traditionally starts the Schützenfest season in May. The local shooting club maintains the king's shoot, the Saturday festival tent program, and the Sunday parade through the village streets.

Anholt — historic castle town

The former principality of Anholt (today a district of Isselburg) with Anholt Water Castle and its medieval town center is a tourist gem of the Niederrhein region. The Schützenfest here is one of the largest in the town — with a parade through the historic old town.

Vehlingen, Heelden, Werth — Summer Schützenfeste

The smaller districts of Vehlingen, Heelden, and Werth each have their own shooting clubs with a long tradition. The Schützenfeste here are typical village Schützenfeste — manageable, family-friendly, with their own shooting king and intensive participation of the entire village population.

Isselburg — the conclusion in August

The Isselburger Schützenverein 1856 (founded in 1856) in the main town of Isselburg provides the festive conclusion to the Schützenfest season in August. As the oldest and largest of the six clubs, it maintains most of the traditions — king's shoot, coronation ball, grand parade.

The typical Schützenfest program

King's Shoot

The kickoff for every Schützenfest is the king's shoot at the wooden king's bird — whoever shoots off the last piece of wood becomes the shooting king. This medieval tradition is unbroken in the Schützen-Niederrhein region.

Festival Tent and Coronation Ball

The festival tent on the Schützenplatz (festival grounds) is the central stage — with a live band, dance floor, regional specialties, and plenty of Pils. Highlight: the coronation ball on Saturday evening with the ceremonial crowning of the new shooting king and his queen.

Parade

On Sunday, the parade is on the program — the marksmen in uniform with drums, pipes, and standards march through the village streets, accompanied by the shooting king in a decorated carriage.

Shooting Tradition on the Niederrhein

The Borken district (North Rhine-Westphalia) in the Westmünsterland region is one of the most densely populated areas for shooting clubs in Germany — hardly a village without its own club, a Schützenfest somewhere every weekend from May to September. The tradition dates back to the 19th century (some clubs even earlier) and is a vibrant part of village identity today. Anyone spending a summer week in Isselburg has a 95% chance of experiencing a Schützenfest live somewhere.