Bastogne town authorities have unveiled plans for the 80th anniversary commemorations of the Battle of the Ardennes, including a specially brewed beer to mark the occasion.
The year 2024 signifies eight decades since the Ardennes Battle occurred in Bastogne. The commemoration programme takes place in the town and its vicinity throughout the year. The year of remembrance began with the inauguration of the Bastogne War Rooms museum in February; the Festival of Two Woods takes place on 1 June whilst the European March of Remembrance and Friendship will happen on 28 June. This will be followed shortly by the opening of the Veterans Monument on 30 June and a tribute to French soldiers on 31 July.
The commemoration of the first liberation of Bastogne by Allied forces in September 1944, known as the Liberation Festival, will also form part of the annual events. The celebrations will climax during the Nuts Weekend, taking place from 12 to 15 June.
"This will be the most poignant part of the commemorations, with multiple veteran attendances confirmed," Mayor Benoit Lutgen said. "We are establishing connections with internationally renowned American figures whose parents fought in Bastogne."
The commemorations will also feature the launch of several products including a "Memory" beer specifically brewed for the occasion from American hops by the Minne Brewery in Baillonville. "This beer is born from a desire to create an authentic, memorable product honouring those who defended our freedoms," explains Frédéric Welschen, president of the local promotional board.
Initially, the commemorative beer will be available at three designated sales points, with wider distribution planned. "We are negotiating with the Horeca," the local promotional board added.
