National Day in Luxembourg – The Duke’s Birthday Party
Why is a National Day in Luxembourg getting its own article you ask? Well, because it is essential if you have the possibility to visit Luxembourg on your own time and planning, you should absolutely calculate to be there during the National Day in Luxembourg. This way you can enjoy one of the greatest city-wide parties I have ever been to and that includes the Kingsday in Amsterdam.
Sidenote: This day should actually be the Dukes birthday party but funny enough this has never been the actual birthday of any ruler of Luxembourg.
So the festivities start on the 22nd and that is the main day to be here. It all starts with the changing of the guards something you can check out if you have time but as the sun sets the party starts all over the city. One of the highlights of the night is the torchlight procession with actual torches through the whole cities with kids and adults singing and walking together. The whole thing is called the “Fakelzuch” (torchtrain).
As the time passes the concert stages, dj booth and party crowds gather around the artists and start celebrating which literally means laughing, dancing, drinking and eating ideally all at the same time. The sheer amount of stages is intense and spread all over the city. Sometimes I walked less than 100 meters through the city center in a small alleyway from one dj booth with dancing folk around to the next one. The heart is pumping with anticipation and adrenaline. Everyone is in celebration mode, intoxicated with this feeling of joy and freedom. The best thing I could do in that moment was: Buy a local beer and be part of the National Day in Luxembourg with every beat of my heart.
As clock is about to hit 11pm everyone heads to the Adolphe Bridge that is the place of one of the most beautiful firework shows I have ever seen. With a show time of 20 minutes you get something that is closer to an art show than a regular firework show. Combined with the music that plays an essential role in the way the rockets are fired it is jaw dropping. I enjoyed a lovely view from the Hotel Parc Belle-Vue.
The whole thing ends with a fire show that seems to melt the bridge into white light. At this point as the last fires slowly burn a lot of visitors slowly start walking home but the party doesn’t end here. The young and young at heart head back to the heart of the city as this is the beginning of the party, the dancing, the clubs and so I joined the crowds to celebrate for one night the Duke and his brilliant idea to “Rock the City All Night Long”.
If I ever meet the Duke himself: “Drinks on me bro for this awesome party !” 🙂
Oh an before I forget. There is a cool military parade the next day around noon right back at the Adolphe Bridge so I could sleep in, grab a breakfast and watch the whole procession which is not so military at all. Something I appreciated a lot and I enjoyed seeing the fire brigade, the police dog group, the music brigade and many more who had nothing to do with war. Afterwards I headed for lunch at one of the lovely restaurant in the city. A couple of bands were still playing and brightening up my day.
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