February 18, 2026
Düren's Orchid Sunday Parade Celebrates 55 Years of Sister-City Friendship
Düren. This year's Orchid Sunday Parade in Düren also celebrated the city's vibrant twin-town partnerships, as friends and delegates from sister cities Altmünster in Austria and Valenciennes in France joined the traditional procession, sending a powerful visual message of close European unity.
A standout feature of the parade was a specially designed float dedicated to the 55-year partnership between Altmünster and Düren. Built under the leadership of the Niederau fire brigade unit, the float was manned by members of local Niederau associations and other volunteers committed to the partnership. "This year marks 55 years of sister-city ties between Düren and Altmünster," said Sabine Briscot-Junkersdorf, Düren's liaison officer for Altmünster, after the parade. "Participating in the Orchid Sunday Parade was a fantastic way to kick off our anniversary year and added a wonderful carnival spirit to the weekend." The float also carried Altmünster's tourism representative, Christian Pumberger, and his wife, Aleksandra, as guests of the Düren Carnival Festival Committee.
Adding to the festive energy, the Hitband and Showband JNC GUGGA 59 from Valenciennes brought high-spirited entertainment to the parade. Earlier, during the city's pre-parade carnival reception, their lively performance had the town hall buzzing with excitement.
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