Knabenschiessen

Knabenschiessen, originating in 1889, is one of the oldest traditional target shooting competitions in Switzerland. It usually takes place annually over a weekend in mid-September alongside a fair. It is organized by the City of Zurich Rifle Association in Albisguetli. Boys and girls can exhibit their shooting skills, but only if they fulfill specific requirements: they have to be between 13 and 17 years old and either live or be enrolled in a school in the canton of Zurich. Usually, around 4,500 boys and girls register for the competition, all seeking to be named “the king of shooters”!

On the slope of Uetliberg, at the shooting range at Albisguetli, thousands of people from all over Switzerland come to watch the competition and afterward enjoy the large fair nearby. There is something for every person of any age: delicious food, sweets, rides, and market stands selling all kinds of handmade objects. Last year, around 800,000 people visited the fair.