Volks- und Schützenfest Linau

Marksmen's Tradition in Linau

Linau is a small municipality in the Duchy of Lauenburg district, located southeast of Hamburg and not far from Sandesneben and Trittau. Like many villages in southern Schleswig-Holstein, the town cultivates a lively marksmen's tradition: The Linau and surrounding area marksmen's club hosts its folk and marksmen's festival every year in July on the Kuhdrift festival grounds.

Three Days of Village Festival

The festival is spread over three days — Friday or Saturday with the king's reception at the fire station, Sunday with the traditional parade through the village, and Monday with the public king's ball to conclude. The king's reception is the ceremonial moment when the new marksmen's king and queen are collected from their homes and led to the festival grounds — accompanied by music, marksmen in uniform, and the entire village community.

Community Organisation

The festival is supported by the marksmen's club together with the Linau volunteer fire brigade — a typical constellation in many villages in Schleswig-Holstein. The local clubs take care of catering, setup and dismantling, music programme, and security. The Kuhdrift festival grounds with the festival tent are located on the outskirts of the village, easily accessible for visitors from Linau, Sandesneben, Trittau, and Schwarzenbek.

Folk Festival with Club Character

Unlike the commercial marksmen's festivals in larger cities, Linau has preserved the charm of a pure village festival: free admission to the king's ball, fair club prices at the stalls, regional focus. Anyone travelling in the Duchy of Lauenburg district in the summer and wanting to experience an authentic marksmen's festival will find it here — between the Lauenburg Lake District and the Hamburg commuter belt.