Schutzenfest is a German fest dating to medieval times. It celebrates an alert marksman (Schutze) saving a young child's life from an eagle attack. The grateful townspeople crowned this person Schutzenkonig.

Schutzenfest was brought to Cincinnati in 1866 by German immigrants. It is actually older than the Cincinnati Reds!The Kolping Society crowns our Schutzenkonig each year by the marksman who shoots down the last piece of a hand-carved wooden eagle, perched high on a pole.