Belval Blast Furnace Festival

Discover Luxembourg’s industrial past in a festive atmosphere! Every year, the Belval Fund celebrates Luxembourg’s history in its own unique way, offering visitors an extraordinary program. Culture and festivities come together to highlight the Belval blast furnaces and showcase the entire history of Luxembourg’s steel industry to visitors.

The Blast Furnace Festival traditionally takes place on the first weekend of July. The dates for 2026 have not yet been confirmed, but we’ll be sure to keep you informed.

Dive into the heart of steelmaking heritage

The Blast Furnace Festival is much more than just a celebration. It’s a journey into the heart of Luxembourg’s industrial heritage and steelmaking history. This annual event, organized by the Belval Fund, takes place against the imposing backdrop of the Belval blast furnaces. Impressive remnants of an era when Luxembourg was among Europe’s leading players in the steel industry, they now welcome visitors. Once symbols of industrial activity, these immense metal structures have become iconic monuments. They bear witness to the region’s transition from its industrial past and transport visitors toward a future focused on innovation and culture.

At the beginning of the century, many Italians came to settle in Luxembourg to work in the steel industry. The Villerupt Italian Film Festival was born out of this wave of migration.

Discover the events at the Fête des Hauts-Fourneaux

An immersive experience into the industrial past

By attending the Fête des Hauts-Fourneaux, you’ll be immersed in Belval’s history. Exhibits, guided tours, and interactive demonstrations bring to life this former industrial town, dedicated to steelmaking. History buffs can explore the Möllerei and Massenoire buildings, which offer a glimpse into the infrastructure necessary for the blast furnaces to operate. Visitors will also learn about the complex process of transforming iron ore into steel.

Activities for All Ages

In a festive atmosphere, visitors of all ages can discover the industrial heritage through activities designed for everyone. Model-building workshops, street performances, concerts, and children’s storytimes are organized throughout the weekend.

You can also learn about the massive project to revitalize these industrial brownfields, which have been abandoned since the late 1990s.

The giant zip line, for thrill-seekers

Among the top attractions, the zip line strung between the two blast furnaces promises an adrenaline rush at a height of over 60 meters. The most daring visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the site and its surroundings during this dizzying ride. Advance registration is required at fonds-belval.lu, and the zip line is reserved for those 14 and older.

Fireworks Displays and Artistic Performances

Captivating fireworks displays and artistic performances illuminate the blast furnaces’ metal structures, creating a magical atmosphere. This fusion of light and music creates a unique and poetic moment, highlighting the raw beauty of this industrial site. Visitors are enchanted by this poetic and unique moment.

Free admission with zip-line activity: 8 euros for adults, 5 euros for children and students.

The Challenges of Belval’s Redevelopment

The Steel Industry in Luxembourg

First and foremost, the rehabilitated Belval blast furnace site beautifully showcases the former industrial site in Esch-sur-Alzette. Blast furnaces A and B stand as a testament to the Arbed steel group’s iron ore operations in Luxembourg, which began in 1911. The transformation of the ore into pig iron, and then into steel, was carried out through a series of mergers, first with the Arcelia and Usinor groups in 2002, and then in 2006 with Mittal Steel. Now known as ArcelorMittal, the company is one of Luxembourg’s largest employers.

Industrial Brownfield Redevelopment Projects

Since the closure of the steel industry in Belval in the late 1990s, a massive redevelopment project has been launched. The goal is to transform the industrial wastelands into a vibrant hub of cultural life, innovation, and knowledge. It is one of the largest redevelopment projects in Europe, seeking to integrate historical elements into the heart of a new, modern neighborhood.

Today, part of the site has been repurposed to preserve this legacy of the past. The renovations are magnificent, and the industrial remnants blend seamlessly into the new urban landscape.

Thanks to a collaborationwith the University of Luxembourg and the City of Science, Research, and Innovation, the Belval site now hosts an ecosystem of students, researchers, and creative professionals.

The neighborhood is also home to the Rockhal, Luxembourg’s largest concert hall.

Around these major attractions, numerous restaurants have opened, along with a shopping center, daycare centers, schools, and a train station.

Belval residents appreciate the ease of daily life, with all amenities within walking distance.

Thus, the redevelopment project aims not only to preserve Luxembourg’s industrial history but also to highlight this heritage by integrating it into a dynamic urban and educational context.

Visitors to the Fête des Hauts-Fourneaux can thus discover how these structures have been adapted for new uses while retaining their original identity. It’s the perfect opportunity to appreciate this commitment to preserving and showcasing industrial heritage while supporting a sustainable future.

By attending the Blast Furnace Festival, visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and successes of this unique transformation, which is breathing new life into the old blast furnaces and ushering them into a new era.

Don’t miss this extraordinary event.