© AFP Archive
Brace yourselves, wild times lie ahead! Luxembourg may be small in size but, let us assure you, it's big on carnival!
Slip into your eating pants, wake up your inner fool and get ready for the year’s wildest season: Luxembourg’s Fuesent is upon us. Historically a time of collective merriment, boundless feasting and suspended social hierarchies, carnival today still remains surprisingly true to its original aspirations – although some traditions have changed over time.
Collective merrymaking from 3 February until the end of March
In Luxembourg, the season of costume bonanza and merry processions kicks off on 3 February, one day after the traditional “Liichtmëssdaag”. In case you wondered why hordes of lantern-carrying children asked you for money and sweets on 2 February: that’s what Liichtmëssdaag, Luxembourg’s very own version of the Christian Candlemas holiday, is all about.
In most countries, carnival traditionally ends on Ash Wednesday (Äschermëttwoch), which falls on 6 March this year and marks the beginning of the abstinence of Lent (Faaschtenzäit). Fun fact: the word “carnival” is said to derive from the folk etymology “carne vale” (farewell to flesh), indicating the beginning of the fasting season in the Catholic Church.
If you’re free on Ash Wednesday, why not head to Remich and witness the unique Stréimännchen ceremony. Masses of enthusiastic youngsters carry the Stréimännchen (a large straw puppet) around town before setting it on fire and throwing it into the Moselle river. This symbolic gesture signifies the end of Moselle carnival.
In reality, Luxembourg’s Fuesent is far from over on Ash Wednesday: Fuesgecken (carnival revellers) usually continue their colourful hustle and bustle until the fourth Sunday in Lent, also called Pretzel Sunday. Pretzels are sweet Luxembourgish pastries and tradition dictates that men offer one of them to their sweetheart on Pretzel Sunday. If the lady accepts, she will have to return the favour by giving her suitor an egg on Easter Day. The tradition is reversed in leap years.
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Parades, street parties and cavalcades
Throughout February and March, you can participate in numerous events and play your part in painting the town red. Put on your dancing shoes and head to one of the uncountable carnival balls (Fuesbal) that are being held throughout the country. Carnival Sunday and Monday are not to be missed!
Echternach, Vianden and Wormeldange are particularly famous for their masked balls.
Sprinkled across the country, the so-called cavalcades remain Luxembourg’s main carnival attraction. These deafening processions combine music ensembles with impressive floats and thousands of revellers having a collective blast. The time-honoured tradition dates back all the way to 1870 when the first cavalcade took place in Diekirch.
Some of the biggest cavalcades at a glance:
Diekirch’s large cavalcade kicks off on 3 March at 2.30 pm on the route de Gilsdorf. 22,000 visitors attended the noisy procession last year.
Remich’s procession takes place on 11 March. The parade starts at 2.30 pm on the route du Luxembourg.
Esch-sur-Alzette’s two-day parade starts on 3 March at 2.30 pm on the Hotel de Ville square.
Pétange’s cavalcade, also known as the “Kagepe” (an acronym for Karneval Gemeng Peiteng), kicks off on 11 March.
Feasting before fasting: "nun's farts" and more
As hinted at earlier, gobbling down large quantities of sweet and savoury delights as if it were the Last Supper remains a quintessential part of carnival.
The most famous Luxembourgish treats are doughnut-like pastries called Nonnefäscht (which literally translates into “nuns’ farts”) and the Verwurrelt Gedanken pastry knots (“muddled thoughts”).
Now you should be ready for your first Luxembourgish Fuesent. Breathe in the carnival spirit and let costumes and masks set aside individual differences...
