© Alexandre Benavente Martingil
The Schueberfouer 2025 opened with strong crowds and sunny weather, with stall owners optimistic about a successful edition that could attract up to two million visits.
The first weekend of the 2025 Schueberfouer has come to a close, and organisers as well as fairground operators are looking back with satisfaction. Thanks to perfect late-summer weather, large crowds flocked to the Glacis over the past three days, encouraging hopes of up to 1.5 to 2 million visits by the time the fair ends.
Although precise attendance figures were not released, Schueberfouer organiser Laurent Schwaller from the City of Luxembourg explained that visitor numbers are tracked carefully through entry and exit counts for safety planning. He added that if the trend continues as it began, this year's edition could once again reach close to two million visits.
Charles Hary, president of the Federation of Fairground Operators, stressed the fair's regional importance. In his words, people from the Greater Region return year after year because nowhere else offers such a lively mix of attractions. The Schueberfouer, he said, has become a tradition for many families across borders.
The location itself plays a central role in its success. First established on the Saint Esprit Plateau some 270 years ago before moving to Limpertsberg, the fair has been held on the Glacis since 1893.
City alderman Patrick Goldschmidt underlined that its central setting in the heart of Luxembourg City is key to its appeal, noting that foreign operators often remark on how rare it is to find such a large fairground so close to a city centre and well-connected to public transport.
For him, the question of moving the fair is off the table.
Almost half of businesses run by locals
This year's fair also highlights the contribution of Luxembourgish stall owners, who account for 90 of the 200 businesses present, Schwaller explained. While the large rides are usually operated by international companies, the restaurants and smaller attractions for children are mostly run by locals, he said.
Schwaller added that the rest of the businesses are mainly run by people of French, German, Belgian, and Dutch origin.
One example of a local business is the Clement family's duck-fishing stall, which has been handed down through five generations. 26-year-old Shirley Clement has taken over the business this year and has invested in building a completely new booth together with her family.
She explained that the old stand had become outdated, and they decided to design and construct the new one themselves, with every family member contributing. She admitted it was a risk, but one she felt confident about.
On Monday morning, the new stall received a special blessing from Patrick Muller, vicar general and chaplain for Luxembourg's fairground community. He said it was the first time he had ever blessed a duck-fishing game, and added that he was pleased to accompany the Clement family on this new step.
Muller also reminded visitors that the traditional fairground Mass will be celebrated at the Glacis Chapel on 5 September.
With around 700 people working on site and countless visitors expected in the weeks ahead, the Schueberfouer remains both a key tradition for locals and a major economic driver for the fairground operators who depend on it.
