Fulehung and Marksmen's Festival

A Folk Fest in the Medieval City of Thun, Bernese Oberland

Annual Event: September 22 - 24, 2019

Fulehung (literally: Lazy Dog) is a folk festival in Thun (Bernese Oberland). Legend has it that this figure, initially called the Bajäggal (jester), was the court jester of Charles the Bold (Karl der Kühne), Duke of Burgundy and Luxemburg.

The brave men of Thun captured the Fulehung during the battle of Murten in 1476, but it was not until the early 18th century that the figure became the symbol of Thun's rifle association.

The Fulehung led quite a turbulent life in his early years: from being a favored figure one moment to getting abandoned the next. At one point, the elders of Thun thought he had a bad influence on the town's youths and threatened to dispense with him. In their opinion they had become too rebellious.

Capture the mood:

It wasn't until much later that he became the permanent mascot of the cadets, responsible for law and order during shooting competitions (anything else but a lazy position) and the fool in a devils mask at the "Ausschiesset" of the cadets, the Fulehung Festival.

In the wee hours on Monday morning, armed with a bouquet of pig bladders and a wooden club, he chases young and old through the cobbled streets of the medieval town of Thun.

To sweeten the blasts he inflicts on spectators, which are considered an honour, he throws handfuls of candies into the excited crowd.

This is the only opportunity to see the Fulehung. He'll get into hiding until the next fulehung festival.

Where and When?

Fulehung Folk Festival "Ausschiesset":

Sunday : 12.30pm the festival starts with a gun salute on the "Kuhbrücke", followed by a parade through down town and a concert; 1.15pm concert on the Rathausplatz (main square) and street dance; 2pm crossbow shooting; 5pm Lazy Dog Jazz concert in the Castle Thun; 8pm curfew Rathausplatz;

: 12.30pm the festival starts with a gun salute on the "Kuhbrücke", followed by a parade through down town and a concert; 1.15pm concert on the Rathausplatz (main square) and street dance; 2pm crossbow shooting; 5pm Lazy Dog Jazz concert in the Castle Thun; 8pm curfew Rathausplatz; Monday : 5am the Fulehung shows up at the Rathausplatz, Thun's main square, followed by a concert at 6am; 8.15 crossbow shooting; 8.15pm concert Rathausplatz;

: 5am the Fulehung shows up at the Rathausplatz, Thun's main square, followed by a concert at 6am; 8.15 crossbow shooting; 8.15pm concert Rathausplatz; Tuesday: 10:15am Shooting at the Berntor; 11:30 parade starting at Berntor; 12.30pm crossbow shooting Berntor; 3:30pm Cadets ball; 9pm Ball Thun-Expo Hall.

Fulehung-Party:

Starting 9pm Sunday night with an all-night party, then you meet the Fulehung in the wee hours on Monday morning at the Rathausplatz;

with an all-night party, then you meet the Fulehung in the wee hours on Monday morning at the Rathausplatz; Monday night party until 3.30am.

Jocker Club

Obere Hauptgasse 29

Entrance is free. Age minimum: 20

Here a fun show of the Suwarow-Cadets of Thun:

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