1. Blues’n’Jazz Rallye. For one evening, Pfaffenthal, Clausen and Grund are transformed into one huge open-air club: over forty musicians and bands, six main stages and a host of cafés and bistros staying open late. Guitarist Biréli Lagrène and the Gilles Grethen Big Band take to the forecourt of neimënster, opposite the Bock cliff, whilst bluesman Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Blues Pills and Franc Moody take to Mansfeld Park, Komfortrauschen and the Maxime Bender Trio to the Melusina, and Daoud and Reis Demuth Wiltgen to Place Émile Mousel.
Where? Pfaffenthal, Clausen and Grund, Luxembourg. When? 18 July 2026. How much? Free.
2. Paul Kalkbrenner. The Berlin-based artist is here to promote *The Essence*, his ninth studio album and a confident return to his roots: raw, organic and unpretentious, featuring a collaboration with Stromae and a tribute to Depeche Mode. Thirty years after coming of age in the post-Wall rave scene, the man who played and composed *Berlin Calling* remains one of the few to champion a form of outdoor techno that works for stadium crowds without losing its distinctive sound.
Where? Luxexpo Open Air, Luxembourg. When? 17 July 2026. How much? €77.80.
3. Flow Festival. Three days of free concerts in Park um Belval, with a programme that has a clear focus: live electronic music performed by musicians from abroad. The Brussels-based quartet Echt!, with roots in the conservatoire and jazz, strive to play like machines and have shifted their focus towards the club scene on their latest album, “Boilerism”. The German-Luxembourgish trio Say Yes Dog showcase their synthetic electro-pop. Meanwhile, Montreal-based Magi Merlin arrives with “Power House”, her debut album released on 10 July, on which she breaks down what she calls her “broken R&B” into 90s house, indie pop, jazz and hip-hop. Also on the line-up are Catt, Jambal, Ninon, Sun Byrd, Nea Lone, Luca de Dios, Maya, The Jazzy Boys, Roger B and Daniel Migliosi, plus the visual arts programme FlowMuart and the Flow Playground for families.
Where? Park um Belval, Belvaux. When? 17–19 July 2026. How much? Free.
4. 32th Contern International Comic Book Festival. The village closes its streets to traffic and throws itself wholeheartedly into the comic book festival. Around fifty international authors, about ten from Luxembourg, around a hundred exhibitors, a comic book parade, street performers and a bouncy castle featuring Superjhemp.
Where? Contern. When? 18 and 19 July 2026. How much? Free.
5. World Cup Final. The Glacis has been part of the Euros, and it will be part of the World Cup too. The City of Luxembourg will be showing the final on Sunday 19 July on its giant screen, continuing the arrangements that have been in place since the round of 16. Admission is free, no ticket required, with security checks at the entrance; there will be a dedicated area for people with special needs and a screen with subtitles. Esch is doing the same on Place de la Résistance, with food and drink provided by local organisations.
Where? Champ du Glacis, Luxembourg, and Place de la Résistance, Esch-sur-Alzette. When? 19 July 2026. How much? Free.
6. Wiltz Festival: Anne Paceo, followed by the Closing. The festival brings its season to a close in two stages. On Thursday 16 July, there will be a concert by drummer and composer Anne Paceo, one of the most recognisable figures on the contemporary French jazz scene. On Friday 17th, it’s time for the Closing event: the Brandbau, a design studio by day, transforms into a collective venue in the evening, featuring DJs Rachida Fuzz and Ori, a barbecue, a bar and a wine bar run by the festival team.
Where? Wiltz Amphitheatre (Anne Paceo) and Brandbau, Wiltz (Closing). When? 16 and 17 July 2026. How much? 23 euros (Anne Paceo).
7. “Resonance”. Two Korean artists are currently in residence at ArtsKoCo; both are graduates of Professor Park NungSaeng’s Master’s programme in Fine Art. Bogyeong Choi draws inspiration from an experience she had in Thailand with an injured elephant: in her works, the animal now takes the place of the 19th-century Korean scholar and blends into the landscape. Biro Kim presents “La Réflexion de l’un dans l’autre”, a body of work exploring the forest, its shadows and reflections, whether still or set in motion by the waves. A small-scale exhibition, on display in a venue that few people are yet aware of.
Where? ArtsKoCo, Luxembourg. When? 16–30 July 2026. How much? Free entry.
8. Didier Eisack, “J’ai arrêté Otto Abetz”. The Literary Thursdays at the Tiers-lieu in Bonnevoie welcome Didier Eisack, author and researcher, for a talk about his book, which has recently been adapted into a comic strip. The book recounts the life story of his grandfather, Joachim Eisack, a German Jewish refugee who fled the Nazi regime, a member of the Resistance, and later an inspector with the Security Service in occupied Germany; he was the man who succeeded in having Otto Abetz, ambassador of the Third Reich, arrested. A multi-year archival investigation, and an evening that quickly moves beyond the family narrative to explore the passing on of memory and the grey areas of the post-war period.
Where? Tiers-lieu de Bonnevoie, Luxembourg. When? 16 July 2026. How much? Free entry.
9. “The Sweet Spot”. This summer, the Schëfflenger Konschthaus is serving as a dual-purpose venue. Upstairs, there is a group exhibition featuring 12 artists: Giamba, Kirps, Levy, Michels, Peiffer, Resende, Romanini, Romano, Shepherd, Stick, Unsen and Vinz. Downstairs, a pop-up shop featuring around sixty designers, prints, objects, jewellery and clothing. The hybrid gallery/pop-up shop format embraces what it is: a place where you can browse and leave with something.
Where? Schëfflenger Konschthaus, Schifflange. When? Until 12 September 2026. How much? Free.
10. “La Nature d’Edward Steichen”. At Merl Park, a large-scale reproduction of the exhibition dedicated to Edward Steichen’s fascination with botany is being installed outdoors. The photographer spent more than seven decades capturing flowers, plants and landscapes. A co-production by Lët’z Arles and the National Museum of Archaeology, History and Art (MNAHA), with the support of the CNA and in collaboration with the Estate of Edward Steichen. The timing is perfect: the park has just reopened its new playground, completely redesigned with inclusion and water in mind. A 900m² water play area featuring springs, pumps and water channels, two climbing towers shaped like a hydroelectric power station and a wind turbine – linked by a footbridge accessible to people with reduced mobility – and a large oval swing structure.
Where? Merl Park, Luxembourg. When? Until 25 October 2026. Guided tours on 30 August, 20 September and 18 October. How much? Free.
In Paris
Azzedine Alaïa and Africa. The Alaïa Foundation is dedicating its summer to the continent that the fashion designer left as a child and which has never ceased to influence his designs. Curated by Olivier Saillard, the exhibition traces the influence of the moucharabiehs of his native Tunisia, which are rendered as openwork in white cotton, the shades of black in the 1983 and 1984 collections, the raffia and cowrie shell embroidery of the spring-summer 1988 collections, 1989 and 1990, and above all the “bandelettes” dresses, created in 1985 following a study of Egyptian mummy art – a feat of tailoring that he had invented entirely from scratch. Paintings by Kris Ruhs accompany the exhibition, whilst the first floor features photographs by Peter Beard, with whom Alaïa travelled to Maasai country in 1996.
Where? Azzedine Alaïa Foundation, Paris. When? Until 4 January 2027. How much? €11.
Julian Marley and The Uprising. Bob Marley’s son brings his roots reggae to the Cabaret Sauvage in Parc de la Villette. Trained in Jamaica by members of The Wailers and a multi-instrumentalist, he has been performing spiritual and socially conscious reggae with his band, The Uprising, since the 1990s.
Where? Cabaret Sauvage, Paris. When? 18 July 2026. How much? From €37.50.
In Brussels
El Cielo, on the rooftop of the Bozar. The roof of the Palais des Beaux-Arts is transformed into a Latin-themed hotspot for a Saturday. From 4 pm to 11 pm, reggaeton, salsa and bass beats until sunset, XXL mojitos and views over the rooftops of Brussels.
Where? Bozar Rooftop, Brussels. When? 18 July 2026. How much? Free entry.
“Icons of the ’90s”, à Autoworld. MTV, grunge, the first mobile phones, and cars that pushed the boundaries. The Cinquantenaire Museum is dedicating its summer to the decade that produced the Ferrari F50, the Dodge Viper, the Honda NSX, the Lotus Elise, the Renault Clio Williams and, on a completely different note, the Twingo, the Fiat Multipla and the first Prius. Seven sections, around fifteen motorbikes – including Massimo Tamburini’s Ducati 916 – a techno room awash with neon lights and lasers, and a Spotify playlist for the road.
Where? Autoworld, Brussels. When? Until 6 September 2026. How much? €17.
