Spotlight on Pétange – Esch2022 celebrates the town of the month from 22 March until 21 April 2021.

This month's Municipality, Pétange, invites you to dance, sing and celebrate the cultural mix.

During a Breakfast with the Press, Pétange town, which lies on the intersection between France and Belgium and is, with its 20,406 inhabitants, the fifth biggest town in Luxemburg, presented its programme for Esch2022. From 22 March until 21 April, Pétange will be the town of the month within the Esch2022 territory.

« I am extremely happy that Pétange's European Carnival Parade is to be part of the European Capital of Culture programme. Through the involvement of the Pétange Municipality and with the help of countless volunteer do-it-yourselvers, tinkerers and artists, who have been bringing together people from all over Europe, this event has been inspiring the young and the not-so-young for many decades as it celebrates different cultures and strengthens ties between generations. The Pétange Parade is a symbol of inclusion and exchange through dance, music and traditions from all over Europe », says the General Director of Esch2022, Nancy Braun.

Pétange, known throughout the Greater Region for its extraordinary carnival parade which has been held every year since 1955, is preparing a huge European carnival parade. This 65^th parade will be bringing together all the inhabitants from the coal mining area and beyond. Not only will there be floats lovingly built during the year by countless local groups, but they will be joined by prestigious guests from numerous European carnival cultures.

The carnival parade will start out from the WAX site in Pétange on 27 March 2022 at 14:11 hours and unfold along an almost 6 kilometers itinerary. This huge project has been made possible by the collaboration between the KaGePe Association and the commune of Pétange as well as the dedication and the hard work put in by a huge number of societies and the eagerly anticipated contributions from brass bands, gymnastics clubs, choral societies, dancers etc. It also honours the medieval, Mid-Lent parade tradition in that all may make merry on the streets where (almost) all is permitted : drinking, dressing up as a monk, cursing, dancing etc.

In the afternoon of Thursday 24 March 2022, there will be a Children's Carnival, organised together with Pétange's Maisons-Relais. Children will be able to create original masks, costumes and hats inspired by the Venice Carnival and they will hold their very own parade in the Municipal Parc in Pétange. Their festivities will close with a Children's Ball to be held under the heated Chapiteau on the Place J F Kennedy.

The Chapiteau will also host two concerts : the Portuguese group Némanus and the Luxemburg folk group Schëppe Siwen will play on Friday 25 March 2022, and on Saturday 26 March 2022 you'll be able to listen to the Luxembourg group Käpt n'Ändä and the German group Dompiraten.

Discover Pétange's natural water reservoirs and exhibitions that focus on ecology and the eco-citizen's behaviour.

« Déi Wëll danzen am Bësch » is a project conceived and realised by artists Mara Daro and OleSchöne of the ARAMELO's Collective. It takes the form of a contemporary circus show, inspired and produced by pupils of schools in Pétange and Deifferdeng. On 24 June, professional circus and musical artists will invite members of the public to spend the day in the forest and discover the circus world in a totally different light and ambiance. They will set out on their journey of discovery from the Titelberg near the Fond-de-Gras and on their way, they will discover art work made by children, attend short shows given by top class, professional circus artists, meet magic creatures and pass through catering points where they can take a break.

As part of the urban exhibition in Pétange and other towns in Luxemburg and in France, the artist Jessica Theis will ring the tocsin to warn us against the consequences of consumer behaviour and the throw-away society with her project « 1001 tonnes » : the title refers to the estimated weight of the stray litter found along the Luxemburg roads every year : 1001 tonnes.

The lure of the land – Welcome to Pétange

The history of Pétange is inseparable from that of the steel industry which for so long brought it riches and in particular, a railway station, way back in 1873. It is at that station that one finds one of the town's major attractions, the « Train 1900 ». This historical steam engine travels along the former industrial railway track and takes its passengers to the mining facilities around the Fond-de-Gras valley.

Close to the Fond-de-Gras and Pétange is another site to be visited : the Prënzebierg - Giele Botter nature reserve. Several of its paths lead to a disused open pit mine in this « Country of the Red Rocks ». Next to it, on the heights of the Titelberg, you'll find the vestiges of an old celtic town and the Poetry Trail that was created in 2011. Dotted along its paths, the visitor will discover quotes from Luxemburg poets. There are other unmissable sites of interest, such as the Centre Wax or the Lamadelaine Mill.

The Regional Tourist Office (ORT Sud), in collaboration with Esch2022, is working hard to complete a new, 200 kms long tourist-cycle route which will take you through the nature reserves, the industrial history and the specific cultural offerings in every town. Moreover, there will be a new pedestrian path, the Minnett Trail. This trail is 90 kms long and was designed by the ORT Sud in support with the Ministry of the Economy – General Directorate for Tourism. It takes the visitor through several open pit mines (such as the Prënzebierg-Giele Botter), the Fond-de-Gras and the protected nature reserve of Haard-Hesselsbierg-Staebierg, as well as the new urban area Belval, the town centres of Pétange and Dudelange and landscapes covered in forests.

In addition to the city of Esch-Alzette, all the Pro-Sud municipalities as well as the eight French municipalities will "make their appearance". To present the cultural richness and special features of each one of them, each municipality will be the focus of attention for one month. Of course, in Esch an der Alzette there will be something to experience throughout the whole year.

•  22.02.-21.03: Kaerjeng (French Bascharage)
•  22.03.-21.04: Pétange (French Pétange)
•  22.04.-21.05: Bettembourg (French Bettembourg)
•  22.05.-21.06: Dudelange (French Dudelange) / CCPHVA
•  22.06.-21.07: Sanem (French Sanem) / CCPHVA
•  22.07.-21.08: Schifflange (French Schifflange)
•  22.08.-21.09: Monnerich (French Mondercange)
•  22.09.-21.10: Differdange (Differdange in French)
•  22.10.- 21.11: Rumelange (French Rumelange) / CCPHVA (17.10. – 13.11.)
•  22.12.- 22.12: Kayl/Tétange (French Kayl/Tétange)

The French communities of Aumetz, Audun-le-Tiche, Boulange, Ottange, Thil, Rédange, Russange and Villerupt will also be included.