Thousands flock to Your Luxembourg Expat Day for fun, networking, and advice

Speed dating, a coffee morning for new parents and wine tasting sessions were just some of the new events at this year’s Your Luxembourg Expat Day.

The annual event, organised by The Luxembourg Times together with brain & more, was held at Neimënster Abbey in the Grund and attracted more than 9,000 visitors.

The aim of the day was to provide information on all aspects of life in the Grand Duchy, from enrolling your child in a crèche or school, hiking trails, leisure activities, finding a new home, and setting up a bank account.

There were also fun activities to try and to watch, including Krav Maga, artistic basketball, cheerleading and karaoke.

The day started with a coffee morning for new parents and parents-to-be who shared tips and information.

“When I was pregnant I had so many questions and I felt that I needed someone who could share some of their experiences with me,” said Harshita, who was there with her four-month-old son. “It’s also a good opportunity to connect with people with children of a similar age to make new friends and connections.”

Later in the day, a handful of singletons took to the stage while a friend presented them to the crowd in a two-minute pitch. Once the single hopefuls had a taster of the others’ personality and what they are looking for in a partner, they were free to get to know each other better.

Colleagues Natasha and Fred – both single – presented each other. “It was fun to do it this way,” said Natasha. “I’m not too shy so I didn’t mind getting up to speak on stage. I had a good idea of what I was going to say about Fred and who knows if it will lead to something.”

Elsewhere in the abbey grounds, visitors were busy tasting some of Luxembourg’s finest wines and crémants.

“I’m a wine expert myself and I even discovered a new wine here today,” said Luxembourgish national, Simge. “The explanations about each wine have been amazing.”

While many were enjoying food and drinks from the various food trucks, motivated runners from the weekly Fat Betty Run team arrived after their morning run. Two groups, running 5 and 10 kilometres around the city, including many new runners.

“For runners, arriving in front of this backdrop and music is great,” said Stéphane Di Carlo, co-founder of the running club. “There is a fantastic atmosphere here today.”

The Luxembourg Times also handed out copies of its Your Luxembourg magazine, a comprehensive guide on living in Luxembourg, including essential information, a calendar of local tradition, and details on popular neighbourhoods.