Velpke Schützenfest

Velpke and its Municipality

Velpke is the main town and seat of the municipality of Velpke in the northeastern Helmstedt district. The municipality comprises the member communities of Velpke, Danndorf, Grafhorst, and Meinkot — all with their own clubs and some with their own Schützenfeste. The Velpke Schützenfest is the largest and most traditional in the municipality.

Velpke Shooting Club from 1851

The Velpke Shooting Club was founded in 1851 — a time when German shooting traditions took their modern form. Over 170 years of club history shape Velpke's self-understanding. The shooting house serves as the club center, shooting range, and festival grounds all in one.

People's King Shooting July 10th to 12th, 2026

The actual Schützenfest runs from Wednesday, July 8th to Sunday, July 12th, 2026; the People's King Shooting takes place from Friday, July 10th to Sunday, July 12th, 2026. Unlike purely club shooting, the People's King Shooting is open to all shooting enthusiasts in the municipality — whoever takes the best shot becomes the People's King.

Festival Tent and Social Evenings

The social gathering takes place in the large festival tent — with catering, live band, dancing, King's Dance, and a DJ program late in the evening. The evenings in the festival tent are the social heart of the Schützenfest and a meeting point for the entire village community.

Festival Parade and King's Proclamation

The highlight is the festive King's Proclamation with a parade through the village. Shooting clubs from neighboring towns, brass bands, drum corps, the fire department, and the reigning and new Shooting King with his court parade through Velpke.

Morning Pint and Family Day

Sunday morning features the traditional "Frühschoppen" (morning pint) — with brass music, catering, and a cozy get-together. Sunday afternoon is family-oriented: children's shooting, bouncy castle, games, and possibly a children's parade.