Thousands of people are expected in Bastogne from 13 to 15 December for the 80th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of the Bulge.
The commemorative weekend will notably feature King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. The royal couple will lay a wreath on Saturday at the McAuliffe monument. They will then visit the council chamber to honour veterans and take part in the traditional walnut throwing from the town hall balcony.
There will also be a patriotic parade on the Grand-Rue and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Patton monument on Saturday. Visitors can also enjoy a sound and light show at 18:00 and 21:00 on Saturday evening at the Mardasson site, created by Luc Petit and his non-profit organisation 'Les Nocturnales'.
Sunday will feature a parade of vintage military vehicles through the Grand-Rue and the Quartier Latin at 14:00. If weather permits, there will also be a parachute drop at the Mardasson site and a flyover by vintage fighter planes over the Grand-Rue.
Festivities will also include a 6 km night walk on Friday, partly in a military vehicle. There will be various commemorative marches, exhibitions of military vehicles, religious services, guided tours of the Bois Jacques battlefield, concerts, and numerous activities organised by the city, the Bastogne War Museum, the Bastogne War Rooms, the Bastogne Memorial, the Bastogne Barracks, the 101st Airborne Museum, the Cultural Hub, and the Syndicat d'Initiative.
