On Tuesday 18 June 2024, the Mayor of Luxembourg city, Lydie Polfer, held a press conference to announce details of the festivities around Luxembourg's national day 2024 happening in Luxembourg city.
Sat 22 June: Eve of the National Day
The festivities around the Grand Duke's birthday will begin the day before the national holiday, Saturday 22 June, with the traditional changing of the guard in front of the Grand Ducal Palace at 15:00.
On the Place d’Armes, the entertainment will begin at 18:00 with Luxembourg folklore including “La Ronde” and “Uucht la vigillée” and the “Lidderuucht” until 19:45. Then, musicians from Hollerich, Stad and Limpertsberg and Eich will take over until 21:00, followed from 22:00 - 02:00 by DJ FABEE MUSIC. The trees on either side of Place d’Armes will be lit up with thousands of fireflies in red, white and blue colours.
At 21:30 the torchlight procession (Fakelzuch) will begin, followed by fireworks at 23:00 from the Pont Adolphe, with numerous concerts in the various public squares of the capital.
The torchlight procession will start from Place du Théâtre and will then pass through Côte d'Eich and Rue du Fossé to Place Guillaume II to parade in front of the tribune of honour in front of the Hotel de Ville (the formation will take place from 20:00 on the Place du Théâtre / Côte d’Eich) where the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess with other members of the royal family along with the mayor, Lydie Polfer, and the first alderman, Maurice Bauer.
The fireworks in honour of the Grand Duke are scheduled to last for 17 minutes; they will be accompanied by a musical composition by Pol Belardi performed by Pol Belardi, Jérôme Klein and Niels Engel.
Sun 23 June: National Day
The official National Day programme begins on Sunday 23 June at 10:00 with an official ceremony at the Philharmonie, followed by the 21 cannon shots fired in honour of the Grand Duke at Fetschenhof at 11:00. The traditional taking of arms and the military parade will then take place on Avenue de la Liberté from 12:00.
At 16:30, the Te Deum will take place at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg city, in the presence of members of the Grand Ducal family.
Other Activities
Away from the official programme, many other activities are being planned, including:
- CAPEL’s “Spillfest” on Sunday 23 June from 10:00 - 16:00 in the Kinnekswiss municipal park: this games festival is aimed at families and includes workshops and games offered by different associations and artists; Participation is free. Food trucks will be on site.
- "City Sounds" open-air concerts on the Glacis carpark on both Saturday 22 June (from 17:00) and Sunday 23 June (from 16:00), mixing major international headliners and local talents, from electronic music to rock, all in a festival-type atmosphere. Free entry.
