Buergbrennen, also known as the Faaschtefeir (Lint Event), is Luxembourg's most spectacular bonfire festival, held on the Sunday following the Carnival. It is one of historic and most famous festivals in Luxembourg, which began as a pagan tradition thousands of years ago and is meant to actually chase away the winter. Locals build Buergen atop slopes out of logs, hay, and branches, which are then lit on fire (under the supervision of the fire brigade, of course).

The buergen are lit with much pomp, and the honor of lighting the match is usually given to the commune's most recently married couples or local celebrities. There are often torchlight processions coming up to the pyre before the blaze is lit. Traditional meals like green bean soup and mulled wine are popular at holiday gatherings. The blazing cross may appear shocking at first, but it merely represents the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The event was beginning to lose its "flame" as a popular celebration in France and Germany, but Luxembourg took the lead in bringing it back.

When: March

Where: Luxembourg city

In Luxembourg, even pretzels have a sacred significance. The puff pastry pretzel with fondant frosting is a Luxembourg specialty. Pretzel Sunday or Bretzelsonndeg is a component of the Lent tradition of eating largely fruit and fish for 40 days. The pretzel was a bread that was frequently produced as a sign of Lent, with its shape resembling crossed arms in prayer.

Nowadays, sweet frosting dipped in almond flakes, glazed with a sticky sweetness, or dusted in salt crystals are used to make pretzels in Luxembourg. In Luxembourg City, the Pretzel Sunday Procession features pastry chefs and a Pretzel Queen who walk around dishing out free pretzels. This day also has a humorous custom associated with it. On this day, a man gives his sweetheart a pretzel. He is allowed to come over to her house on Easter Day if she accepts. If he does not, a basket of bread will be sent to him.

When: March

Where: Luxembourg city

Wine Festival is definitely one of the most famous festivals in Luxembourg. Wine Festivals are village gatherings hosted in the spring and late summer at local wineries or in the open air. Live music and traditional food, as well as local wine and beer, are featured during wine festivals. The common settings are villages around the Moselle river, where the town's fountains occasionally pour with wine to commemorate a harvest.

During the months of May and June, each winery can open its cellars on a specific day and host tastings of its new wines (young wines that are produced quickly and cannot be kept for more than six months as they have no tannins). Around the same time, each winery opens its cellars and conducts tastings of its freshest seasonal wines on a Proufdag (tasting day). Even though the best varieties have not yet reached maturity, connoisseurs can make reasonable guesses about which wine will become a Grand Premier Cru by autumn.

The Wäimoart, a wine market held in Grevenmacher in April, is one of the key events of the year. Even while these events are geared toward a more professional audience, wine enthusiasts can gain inspiration to stock their own cellars. No wonder it is considered as one of the most famous festivals in Luxembourg.

When: April - June

Where: Many villages

All you need to beat the winter blues is a warm, glowy festival in the dead of winter. Therefore, we recommend you to participate in the famous Luxembourg Light Festival. The Luxembourg Light Festival is a unique and magical setting for discovering Luxembourg City through a vibrant tour of various light installations.

Visitors will be able to see Luxembourg City from a different perspective, especially as part of a lavish scenographic and audiovisual presentation featuring dynamic colorful pictures and interactive light games. Walkers may pass major parts of the Luxembourg capital, such as the Place Guillaume II, the Rue du Saint Esprit, the Chemin de la Corniche, Vauban fortifications, and so on, thanks to these lights, until they reach the National Museum of History and Art. Throughout the trip, there are food and drink stands to keep you warm if needed. An opportunity to learn about and appreciate Luxembourg's gastronomic delicacies! Make sure not to missed this famous festivals!

When: December

Where: Luxembourg city

Schueberfouer, the largest funfair in Greater Luxembourg City, is a unique Luxembourg institution that dates back to 1340 with John the Blind, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia. Visitors go to the Champ du Glacis fairground from late August to early September to experience the beautiful ambiance of the Luxembourg City amusement fair, which spans 4 hectares in the center of the city.

Today, the festivities include a folk cultural display as well as a variety of thrilling high-speed roller coasters, drop towers, and other rides for youngsters (and even adults). The celebratory mood attracts a large number of local vendors to the fairgrounds, where visitors, participants, and tourists can sample a wide range of delectable baked goods unique to Luxembourg. In addition, the Schueberfouer is a hub of popular and inventive cuisine. Gromperekichelcher, the famed uniquely Luxembourgish potato pancakes, attract visitors.

The City of Luxembourg, which hosts the Schueberfouer every year, is pleased to give visitors and locals alike a unique blend of tradition, gastronomy, and thrills that is unlike anything else in Europe. No wonder it is listed as one of the most famous festivals in Luxembourg.

When: August - September

Where: Glacis

The third Sunday after Easter is Octave Market, a liturgical feast that culminates in a procession on the fifth Sunday following Easter. It is considered as one of the most famous festivals in Luxembourg. While the event is meant to honor the Virgin Mary, religious traditions aside, the Oktavsmäertchen, or Octave Market, appears to be the most famous attraction. The market was traditionally created to provide pilgrims with a place to eat and rest after church. Locals and visitors can now enjoy a popular fish dish, burgers, drinks, souvenirs, and games at the market's few restaurants.

A final mournful procession marks the end of the Octave. People carry the statue of Mary through the streets of the capital during this ritual. Along with the believers, members of the Grand Ducal Household, the government, the Chamber of Deputies, the court, and other state organizations take part. Many festive markets are set up for pilgrims to ensure that they are properly fed. The market was traditionally created to provide pilgrims with a place to eat and rest after church. Locals and visitors can now enjoy a popular fish dish, burgers, drinks, and games at the market's few restaurants. In addition to wonderful food, tourists can purchase souvenirs. It is the Grand Duchy's most important day.

When: May

Where: Luxembourg city

Festival de Wiltz, an open-air music and performing arts event with live concerts and theater nightly against the backdrop of the Wiltz castle, takes place in July. The Festival de Wiltz was founded in 1953 by a group of Wiltz locals who were passionate about the town. Originally conceived as a theater festival, the program has grown to include all types of musical events, including dance, opera, and musicals. Many guest performances by world-renowned performers have taken place on the amphitheater stage, contributing to the Festival de Wiltz's high reputation.

On summer nights, tens of thousands of people go to see operas like Phantom of the Opera, jazz legends like Miles Davis, world music, classical soloists, and more. Festival de Wiltz has welcomed some of the biggest stars in music and drama to play against the backdrop of a beautiful 16th century chateau. Every year, concertgoers go to Wiltz, a small town in northern Luxembourg, to see its unique outdoor amphitheatre, which features a moveable roof and panoramic views of the castle. It obviously deserves a place in the list of the most famous festivals in Luxembourg.

When: July

Where: Wiltz

The next most famous festival in Luxembourg in our list is Geenzefest. This is a flower-blooming celebration and one of the loveliest Luxembourg festivals. It is observed in May or June, when the grasslands in the Oesling region begin to bloom with yellow flowering plants. The entire scene is bathed in golden light. The Geenzefest has grown into one of the Grand Duchy's most major folk festivals, gathering almost 10,000 guests each year to the streets of the Ardennes' largest town.

Geenzefest is organized by the 'Les Amis de la féerie du genêt de Wiltz' (Friends of the Wiltz Broom Festival); it is well renowned for its stunning blossoming broom parade, which takes place on Whit Monday and has over 40 floats and national and international folk music organizations and music bands. They will introduce the magnificent float with the Broom Queen and her six Ladies of Honor. Spectators are welcome to enjoy full entertainment before and after the Corso in the Castle's inner court and on the Theater Square.

When: May/ June

Where: Wiltz

Fuesend is no doubt one of the most famous festivals in Luxembourg. It is a Carnival that begins in early February and runs through the month of March. During the carnival, don't miss out on delicious carnival treats like doughnuts and tiny cakes. Luxembourgish organizations organize masked parties, parades, and cavalcades for both children and adults, ensuring that everyone who enjoys Carnival has a good time. Almost every town in Luxembourg hosts at least one ball, transforming Luxembourg's streets into a massive celebration complete with food, beverages, and entertainment.

Luxembourg's carnival arrives to shake off all the vices before the start of Lent. Carnival, like its neighbors Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, is a perfect excuse to dress up in goofy costumes and party, with the caveat that the good times will be sacrificed for the following Lent. The Fuesend carnival in Luxembourg typically starts on Candlemas and ends on Aschermittwoch (Ash Wednesday).

When: February - March

Where: Luxembourg city

Although a nut market festival may appear amateurish, Luxembourgers go nuts gathering walnuts at the Veiner Nssmoort nut market in the fall. Nut Market festival is traditionally held on the second Sunday in October in Vianden's main street, which is lined with vendors selling traditional nuts and nut products, nut breads, and nut schnapps, as well as the usual beer and sausages.

The youngsters can enjoy music and activities. If you want to buy exquisite nut liquor, nut paté, or just a bunch of nuts, be prepared to bring a lot of cash. It only happens once a year, so don’t miss this unique and famous festival!

When: October

Where: Vianden