The Minett Park Fond-de-Gras will host its highly anticipated Steampunk weekend on Saturday, 26 September and Sunday, 27 September, inviting attendees to step into an alternate past shaped by the imagination of Jules Verne.
From 11am to 6pm, the site will be transformed into a unique cultural celebration reminiscent of festivities like cavalcades or Oktoberfest, but set in a time that never truly existed.
Steampunk events revolve around the era of steam power and fantastical inventions, blending history with creativity to conjure a world both retro and futuristic.
Over the years, Fond-de-Gras has gained international recognition for its convention, which draws enthusiasts from far beyond Luxembourg’s borders.
For the volunteers of Train 1900, the Steampunk weekend is a major highlight of the year. It’s one of the best-known Steampunk conventions in Europe, maybe even worldwide. The site is a unique and authentic historical setting where iron ore was once mined.
The photographs you can take here with vintage locomotives, timeworn buildings, and visitors dressed in Victorian Steampunk style, are "unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere", explains Olivier Broy from Train 1900.
Both the heritage Train 1900 and the mining railway will be running throughout the weekend, providing transport to the Fond-de-Gras site.
For added convenience, a bus shuttle will operate from the Park & Ride facilities in Pétange and Niederkorn, running between 10.30am and 7pm.
Visitors are encouraged to embrace their creativity, with no limits on fantasy or costume. Expect plenty of steam, eye-catching outfits, and a lively atmosphere, as thousands of people are expected to descend on Minett Park for the event.
The Minett Park season runs each year from 1 May until the last weekend of September, with both Train 1900 and the mining railway operating during this period. A typical season spans between 70 and 80 days and relies heavily on volunteers.
According to Train 1900 organisers, the season has been a success, even if hot days sometimes saw more visitors at the swimming pool than on the trains.
Extra precautions were taken to minimise fire risk, including suspending the steam locomotive in favour of diesel engines on two particularly dry days.
Before the season draws to a close, one final highlight remains: the annual visit of Saint Nicholas to Minett Park. Scheduled for 21 and 22 November 2026, families can look forward to a train ride with Saint Nicholas himself, who will hand out treats to well-behaved children.
Further information is available in French at www.train1900.lu. Those interested should subscribe to the newsletter for registration details regarding the Saint Nicholas event.
Listen back to volunteer Oliver Broy speaking about the event on an episode of The Lunchbox:
“There’s something wonderfully steampunk about a bunch of people taking machinery from another age and keeping it alive"
