The founding document of the EU – the Schuman Declaration – was signed on 9 May 1950 and since 2019, Luxembourg has been celebrating Europe Day as a public holiday. So, make the most of this day off and take a look at what is going on around the country.
There are activities to learn more about the EU and also events where you can watch stand-up comedy, listen to jazz, join a pilgrimage or discover new sports.
Europe Day 2024
Head to the new European Parliament building in Kirchberg to learn more about the EU, the work it does and the upcoming European elections. There will be various stalls by some of Luxembourg’s EU institutions, including the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Court of Auditors (ECA), embassies and people who have worked on various European projects. There will also be a virtual reality experience, kids’ corner and food trucks.
The event starts at midday. At 12:15 you will get a chance to watch traditional Hungarian, Polish and Latvian dance performances. The official ceremony, in the presence of Grand Duke Henri, will take place at 14:00. At 14:30 Luxembourg’s European School choir will perform.
This year, Europe Day takes place 45 years after the first European elections in 1979 and shortly before the next European elections, held between 6-9 June. It also marks 20 years since the largest enlargement of the EU, after the accession of 10 countries – Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The event will take place at the European Parliament in Kirchberg © Photo credit: European Parliament
When: 12:00-18:00
Where: European Parliament, 17 Rue John F. Kennedy, L-2929 Luxembourg
Cost: Free
Visit the Robert Schuman House
Visit the house where Robert Schuman – one of the architects of European unity – spent his childhood. He served as French foreign minister between 1948 and 1952 and president of the European Parliament from 1958 to 1960. Together with Jean Monnet, he drew up the renowned Schuman Plan, published on 9 May 1950, proposing joint control of coal and steel productions.
His childhood home in Clausen will be open to the public on Thursday and will include a documentary entitled ‘Robert Schuman. From Clausen to Europe: in the footsteps of a convinced European’, an exhibition on the history of the European elections, an interactive tool showing historic documents and important places, and QR code scans to find out more about key moments in Schuman’s life. If the weather permits, you can join a guided tour with historians from the University of Luxembourg.
Robert Schuman’s childhood home in Clausen © Photo credit: Guy Jallay
When: 14:00-17:00
Where: Maison Schuman, 4 Rue Jules Wilhelm, L-2728 Luxembourg
Cost: Free
Circus
The ‘festival de cirque sous chapiteau’ is a circus performance put together by students and teachers of the Atelier de Creation. It will take place behind the Coque sports centre in Kirchberg. The website states it is suitable for the whole family.
When: 14:30
Where: Chapiteau de cirque, Rue Léon Hengen, L-1745 Luxembourg
Cost : €20 for adults, €10 for children under 18
Light Leaks Festival
Photographers showcase their street photography works at this festival. Take a look at the outdoor exhibition, ‘nothing personal’, by international photographer Nikita Teryoshin or join a workshop from 16:00-18:00 for an introduction to shooting on your analogue camera, film development, negative conversion and final processing. The exhibition itself will be open from 18:00 to 21:00. It showcases local and international photography talent.
Some of the photos from last year’s festival © Photo credit: Viktor Wittal
When: 18:00-21:00 (workshop 16:00-18:00)
Where: Rotondes,
Cost: Exhibition is free. Workshop costs €50 for adults and €5 for students.
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Sports festival
Discover lots of different sports at this fun day organized by the Luxembourg Olympic Sports Committee (Cosl). There will be 47 different workshops dotted around the Kockelscheuer lake next to the ice rink, giving children a taster of sports such as ice hockey, curling, golf, basketball, judo, squash and rugby.
When: 10:00-17:00
Where: Kockelscheuer lake, 42, rue de Bettembourg, L-1899 Luxembourg
Cost: Free
Merl fair
A small fair will set up in Merl from 9 to 11 May with rides for young children.
When: 11:00-20:00
Where: 1 Place Thorn, L-2380
Cost: Prices vary for each ride
English stand-up comedy
Andrew Steiner, who has performed across the world, including the Glasgow Comedy Festival, Iceland, Tokyo Comedy Bar and Philly Fringe, will perform during this Andrew Steiner and Friends performance. His comedy blends surrealist storytelling with hard hitting jokes. Francesca Maglione will also perform. Originally from New York, she is said to have a knack for connecting with diverse audiences.
When: 21:30-23:30
Where: Carlitos Comedy Club, 65 Rue du Fort Neipperg, 2230 Gare Luxembourg
Cost: Early bird ticket €17.73. Regular ticket €20.76.
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Like a Jazz Machine, Dudelange
Listen to jazz until your heart’s content at Like a Jazz Machine festival. Between the 8-12 May, around 70 musicians from across the globe will perform pieces from traditional jazz to new trends. On 9 May, you can listen to the Giovanni Guidi Quartet, featuring the piano, saxophone, bass and drums; one of the most vibrant emerging talents from the Netherlands, Sun-Mi Hong Quartet; singer, songwriter, and saxophonist Curtis Stigers; and Cuban Regis Molina.
A jazz quartet entertaining the crowd last year © Photo credit: Alain Piron
When: First performance starts at 18:30, last act starts at 23:00
Where: Centre Culturel Opderschmelz, 1a Rue du Centenaire, L-3475 Dudelange
Cost: €40 per day
Forest and tractor festival
Fancy going to see a fleet of tractors? A tractor rally will take place between 9:00 and 11:00 and at 12:30 there will be a concert by Harmonie Moutfort-Medingen. From 14:00, singers Roll Girres and Lisa Mariotto will perform.
When: 9:00-17:30
Where: Centre d’incendie et de secours Canach, 18 Rue de l’École, L-5415 Canach, Lenningen
Cost : Free
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Exhibition guided tour, Esch
Join a 45-minute guided tour, in Luxembourgish or German, of the Konschthal exhibition. The tour will take you through the most important works. Maximum four people per tour.
Konschthal in Esch-sur-Alzette © Photo credit: Alain Piron
When: 18:30-19:15
Where: Konschthal, 29 Bd Prince Henri, 4280 Esch-sur-Alzette
Cost: Free, subject to available spaces
Social picnic, Junglinster
Prepare a dish or bring a drink from your country of origin to the participatory picnic held at Ôpen in Junglinster to celebrate Europe Day. For a true taste of the European Union, the concept will ensure plenty of flavours from around the EU and beyond. You must register in advance by emailing moien@openlenster.
When: 11:00-15:00
Where: Open, 12 Route d’Echternach, L-6114 Junglinster
Cost: Participation
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Pilgrimage in Wiltz
Our Lady Fatima pilgrimage will start at Niederwiltz church at 9:00 with confessions and from 11:00 to 12:30 there will be activities for children. The procession leaves at 14:30, making its way to the ‘Op Bäessent’ sanctuary for a mass at 15:30 before the procession heads back to Niederwiltz church at 16:30.
The procession attracts thousands of people each year © Photo credit: Chris Karaba
When: From 9:00
Where: Niederwiltz church
Cost: Free
Cinema
Check out our cinema programme to see what is on at different theatres across Luxembourg. Among the screenings on Thursday are Back to Black, the biographical drama on the life of Amy Winehouse, One Life, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and Peppa Pig.
Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in the film Back to Black © Photo credit: Dean Rogers/Focus Fe/Courtesy of Dean Rogers/Focus F – © 2024 Focus Features, LLC