Dudelange Kicks Off Summer Festivities with USINA22, Fête de la Musique, Zeltik Festivals

The College of Mayors and Aldermen of the City of Dudelange (Ville de Dudelange) presented its summer 2022 programme during a press conference at Dudelange Town Hall on Wednesday 8 June 2022.

The festivities will kick off this weekend with the USINA22 open-air festival at Neischmelz, featuring performances by American rockers Kings of Leon on Saturday 11 June and German-born singer-songwriter Alice Merton on Sunday 12 June 2022.

The following week will see the return of Dudelange’s Fête de la Musique, now in its 29^th year, which is taking place in different venues on Saturday 18 June from 13:00, as well as the “Summer Session” of the Zeltik festival – the only festival in the Greater Region dedicated to Celtic music – in Place de l’Hôtel de Ville on Sunday 19 June 2022 from 17:00. Both festivals are free of charge.

Some of the main acts at this year’s Fête de la Musique include Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies, Irish rockers The Coronas and German pop band The Jeremy Days. Zeltik’s 25^th anniversary lineup features Canadian rock-trad band Bodh'aktan, multi award-winning Scottish band Mànran, Breton rock-folk band Red Cardell and The Luxembourg Pipe Band, among others. This will be the second part of this year’s Zeltik festival; a first celebration was held at opderschmelz cultural centre on Saturday 12 March 2022.

The City of Dudelange will also take part in Luxembourg’s Pride Month and National Day celebrations this summer, as well as hosting various “alternative markets” in Place Am Duerf (on Saturdays 25 June, 30 July, 28 August and 10 September 2022). Moreover, an urban beach (“Plage Am Duerf”) will open to the public on Friday 24 June 2022 at 17:00. A summer “Kermesse” festival will run from Friday 24 June (from 18:00) to Sunday 10 July in Place Fohrmann, with a family day planned for 30 June 2022. Meanwhile, an international market (“Marché du monde”), featuring culinary specialties, crafts, information stands and ambulatory musicians, will take place in Place de Hôtel de Ville on Sunday 3 July 2022, from 11:00 to 19:00.

Monday 27 June 2022 (at 17:00) will see the official inauguration of the “Floater” retention basin as part of the Esch2022 – European Capital of Culture programme.

The École régionale de Musique will perform a percussion concert at opdershmelz on Friday 1 July 2022 at 20:00. Similarly, a “Summerstage” (summer days) open-air concert is scheduled to take place at Parc Le’h on Friday 15 July 2022 from 20:00.

A medieval festival on Rue de la Chapelle will conclude this summer’s festivities in Dudelange on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 September 2022.

Speaking to Chronicle.lu after the press conference, John Rech, Booking Manager at Ville de Dudelange, Director of opderschmelz cultural centre and organiser of Zeltik, said that the organisers were “looking forward to welcoming people to normal events without major controls and with a liberated spirit”. He noted that more than 8,000 people are expected each day. On the subject of Zeltik, he explained that the organisers had wanted to offer something special for this 25^th anniversary edition, which has been spread across two events (one in March and a second one next week). Referring to the jam-packed summer programme, he said: “So, drop by, come to Dudelange. It’s more than worth a trip. Come every weekend!”

The full programme is available on the website of the City of Dudelange: https://www.dudelange.lu/index.php/agenda/