The College of Mayors and Aldermen of the City of Luxembourg presented the programme of Luxembourg’s national holiday yesterday. 

The festivities surrounding Grand Duchess Charlotte’s birthday will begin on the eve of the national holiday on Thursday 22 June with the traditional guard in front of the Grand-Ducal Palace at 16:00. The torchlight procession will take place at 21:20, followed by fireworks at 23:00 and concerts in the various squares of the capital..

The torchlit procession will follow a concert by the Fanfare Municipale Luxembourg-Bonnevoie and the Fanfare Prince Henri Bonnevoie in front of the tribune of honour until the arrival of Their Royal Highnesses 

The procession will leave from Le Puits Rouge in the Grand-Rue and then pass by Rue du Fossé, Rue Notre-Dame, Rue de l'Ancien Athénée towards Boulevard FD Roosevelt, then via the Viaduct Bridge to reach the Avenue De la Gare (groups on foot) or Boulevard d'Avranches (motorised tanks) respectively.

The Grand-Ducal grandstand will be installed on Boulevard FD Roosevelt on the corner of Roosevelt Boulevard / Rue de la Congrégation.

The fireworks in honour of the grand duchess will be fired from the Pont Adolphe at 23:00 and illuminate the sky for 17 minutes. The musical accompaniment will be provided by the Grand Duke's Military Music from the Place de la Constitution ( Gelle Fra).

The best places to see the fireworks are the Place de la Constitution (Gëlle Fra), the Viaduct (Al Bréck) as well as from Hollerich and the Gare district.

As usual, many concerts and activities will animate the squares and streets of the capital on the eve of the national holiday.

Music on the Place Guillaume II will begin at 19:00 with the band "Dëppegéisser", followed by "Benny & the Bugs" (20:15), Schëppe 7 (22:15), T-the Boss "Toxkäpp (00:15) and" Tommek and Band “(01:15).

Place d'Armes, the Rue du Saint-Esprit, the Corniche, the Place de la Constitution, Place du Theater, Place Auguste Engel (Grund), Place Jean Heinisch, Place de Strasbourg and the Grand Place -Rue (corner rue des Capucins) will also be invaded by various Luxembourgish and international bands for music until late into the night. 

On 23 June, the official programme will start at 10:00 with a ceremony at the Philharmonie Luxembourg followed by the 21 cannon shots in honour of the Grand Duke at the Fetschenhof at 11:00. The traditional take-up and the military parade will then take place in the avenue de la Liberté from 11:30 am and the Te Deum will take place at 16.30 at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg in the presence of members of the grand-ducal family.

As every year, the City of Luxembourg's Centre for Pedagogical and Leisure Activities (Capel) will organise its traditional "Spillfest" from 10:00 to 18:00 on the Kinnekswiss (City Park).

This festival is aimed at families, young and old with many unusual and informative games proposed, including a "Bungee-Run", two large swings and the "Leonard Machinery". The Austrian artist Hr.bert, the Spanish troupe "Guixot de 8" and the "Young Caritas Spillmobil" will also be on site and this year the LCTO will present two interactive concerts: 

11:00: Nino Sopranino and his family will tell a musical story to children aged 4 to 8, including narrator, saxophonist and percussionist 

15:00: Xuff, interactive music workshop for children from 4 to 10 years old (DIY, painting and musical games).

Participation is free. Small catering stands are on site. The "Péitruss-Express" (free shuttle) will run from 10:00 to 18:00 between the Kinnekswiss and the pirate ship.

The Garnisounsmusek will take place at 14:00, followed by Saxitude (15:00), Marc Welter's Joint Bunch (16:00), Ginta Fiesta Orchesta (17:30) and "Choco y sus cómplices" (20:00).

In order to allow all interested parties to follow the national holiday in a pleasant atmosphere, the Service of festivals and markets and the Service integration and specific needs of the City of Luxembourg have set up additional infrastructures.

On the eve of the National Day, on June 22, two spaces, one next to the official tribune (torchlight retreat), the other on the Place de la Constitution ("Gëlle Fra" Fireworks) will be reserved for people with special needs. In order to ensure good coordination and organisation of the two spaces, interested persons must reserve their place in advance with the Integration and specific needs department by telephone: 4796 4215, GSM: 691 96 44 47, or email: makayser@vdl.lu.

For a space near the official gallery it will be necessary to arrive at the latest at 20:15 near the grandstand at the height of the canteen of State to the boulevard F. D. Roosevelt.

Space in place of the Constitution ("Gëlle Fra”). It will be necessary to arrive at the latest at 21:00 (a minimum companion is allowed, depending on the number of participants and the space available, several accompanying persons can access the space reserved) 

A space for people with special needs is also planned for the military parade on 23 June, between 10:30 am and 11:00 am near the entrance to the Ste-Thérèse clinic. Reservation is also required by telephone: 4796 4215, GSM: 691 96 44 47, or email: makayser@vdl.lu.

For the "Summer in the City" concerts on Place Guillaume II and on the "Kinnekswiss" respectively, a special needs area will be set up to allow everyone to participate in these events. People who wish to use the areas must reserve their place in advance with the Integration and Specific needs department, by telephone: 4796 4215, GSM: 691 96 44 47, or email: makayser@vdl.lu. Regarding the MeYouZik, the persons concerned are asked to contact the Cultural Center of Meeting Neumünster Abbey.

On the evening of 22 June, the Call-a-Bus will provide a shuttle service for people in wheelchairs from P + R Bouillon from 18:00 until 22:30. The return will be after the fireworks until 01:00. Contact Call-a-Bus by telephone: 4796-4797.

Public toilets will be available at festival locations. 

During the festivities organised as part of the National Day, certain adaptations will be necessary for traffic in particular on Monday 19 June for the rehearsal of the military parade, on Thursday 22 June for the torchlight procession and fireworks, and on Friday 23 June for the National Day official ceremony, taking up arms, military parade and Te Deum. 

As part of the rehearsal of the military parade in the Avenue de la Liberté, on Monday 19 June at 21:00, this axis is barred from traffic at 20:30 and all bus lines running between the train station and downtown, City and vice versa will be diverted by the road of Esch and the street of Hollerich or by the Viaduct. Users of public transport will experience longer travel times.

On Thursday 22 June, the day before the national holiday, the closures of the roads of the city centre and the Gare district will be applicable from 18:00. Road users are therefore requested to respect and follow the itineraries indicated as such. Devices for fireworks fired from the Adolphe Bridge will again be integrated into the street closures at the Gare and downtown area.

Covered car parks in the city centre and the Gare district will remain accessible, except for the Knuedler car park, which will not be possible for entry and exit on 22 June between 20:30 and 24:00 (this restriction also applies to subscribers).

On Friday 23 June, the National Day, the closures of the roads of the Gare district and the city centre will be applicable from 08:00. Road users are therefore requested to respect and follow the itineraries indicated as such.

Details of the adaptations at the traffic level can be seen online: www.vld.lu

The City of Luxembourg recommends visitors traveling by car to take advantage of the following car parks:

P + R Bouillon (bus line 37)

Parking at the Kirchberg plateau (line 38)

Car parks Kockelscheuer and Luxembourg-Sud (customs centre) (line 39)

Where buses leave to the city centre every 5 to 10 minutes between 18:00 and 22:20; The return to the car parks will be ensured from the city centre from 23:45.

Departures from the city centre to the car parks will be made from the following stops:

Line 37 towards the P + R Bouillon: Monterey-Parc (temporary stop); Last return at 03h30

Line 38 in the direction of Kirchberg: Boulevard Prince Henri (between Monterey Ave. and Émile Reuter Avenue) or Pescatore Foundation quai 1; Last return at 03h30

Line 39 towards the Luxembourg-South and Kockelscheuer car parks: Hamilius quai 2; Last return at 03:30.

In the early evening, before the demonstrations, the articulated bus traffic will be extended along the main lines 2, 4, 5, 6, 21, and 30.

Due to the link between the Gare district and the city centre via the Pont Adolphe and Viaduct, some lines will be limited to the city centre or the Central Station. Only the lines 1/125, 7, 16, 18, 21, 39 and Eurobus 120, 144, 172, 192, 194 and 195 will travel between the central station (Pier 12) and the city centre from 19:00.

Lines 2, 3/30, 4, 5/6 and 15 will only run between the southern districts of Gasperich, Bonnevoie, Cessange and Hamm, and the Central Station or between the northern and western districts of Limpertsberg, Merl, and Hollerich,  and the city center.

The origin / terminus of lines 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 22 and 28 will be in the city centre (Hamilius or Monterey); The Gare district will not be served. 

After the fireworks, special routes are scheduled between 23:45 and 03:30 on most AVL lines from the city centre. See the CFL website for more information.

On the evening of 22 June the city bus lines 1-31, as well as certain RGTR lines providing intra-ville services will be free from 18:00 (these are the lines that are also free every Saturday). For details, please visit www.vdl.lu/busgratuit.html.

 

The following Vel'oh at Al Bréck, Metzer Plaz, Gëlle Fra and Knuedler will be closed from 08:00 on 22 June until 08:00 on 24 June.