Speaking on The Lunchbox on RTL Today Radio, Charlène (head of administration and finance for the festival), offered a glimpse into the organisation that makes the event possible.
Charlène has been part of the Francofolies team since 2021, handling contracts, budgets, and the complex planning required to bring thousands of music fans together each year in Esch-sur-Alzette. While she jokingly calls her role “the quiet job,” she’s quick to point out how essential it is.
The festival’s growth has been dramatic. The very first edition in 2021 took place during the pandemic, with just 500 seated attendees. Fast forward to 2026, and organisers are preparing for crowds of around 15,000 people per day.
Despite the scale-up, Charlène says the foundations were always built with expansion in mind. Planning for safety, logistics, and infrastructure began long before audience numbers increased, with coordination between government bodies, safety inspectors, and event specialists starting months in advance.
“Even when we had 500 people, we were preparing for something much bigger, ”Charlène says of the Festival team’s mindset. That long-term planning now allows the team to focus on refining the festival experience rather than simply managing growth.
Booking major artists is one of the earliest steps in shaping the festival. This year’s programme includes global names like Macklemore, alongside PLK, GIMS, and electronic performers like Mosimann. The legendary French electronic duo Cassius will also bring their signature sound to the immersive stage (a new and exciting features for this year’s iteration).
Headliners are typically secured months in advance, sometimes as early as the previous summer, helping organisers define both the budget and the overall mood of each festival day. From there, supporting acts are chosen to complement the headline performers and create a cohesive experience for audiences.
Keeping those bookings secret until announcement day, Charlène admits, can be one of the hardest parts of the job.
While the performances remain the centrepiece, Francofolies continues to expand the festival environment itself. This year promises new interactive elements, including a redesigned immersive stage experience, returning relaxation areas like hot tubs, and even a festival slide, details still being kept partially under wraps.
“We want to reinvent ourselves every year and give the audience new surprises” Charlène confirms, after all this is part of what has helped the festival grow into a major summer event in Luxembourg, attracting a cross-border audience predominantly from France and Luxembourg but also Belgium and Germany.
For the team behind Francofolies, the work doesn’t stop when the gates open, or even when the music ends. Financial follow-ups, payments, and logistics continue long after the final performance.
Still, Charlène says the team tries to make time to enjoy at least one concert each during the weekend, a small reward after months of preparation.
With the 2026 edition set for 12–14 June, anticipation is already building. And while audiences will remember the music, the lights, and the atmosphere, the success of Francofolies once again depends on the careful planning happening behind the curtain.
For more info on the event, tickes, artists, access, or to become a volunteer, head to francofolies.lu
