Events

Budapest Palinka Festival

The Budapest Palinka Festival is usually held in early may in the Budapest City Hall Park (Varoshaza Park) (just nearby the Deak Square). The Hungarian palinka, which is a product very similar to the Romanian palinka, is an alcoholic beverage produced in Hungary, as well as in north Transylvania (in Romania).

On this occasion, tens of distilleries display original liquors produced through traditional distillation processes. The display as such is designed to invite participants to taste the showcased products.

For a complete account of the former and future editions of the Budapest Palinka Festival, use the following information:

Name:: Budapest Palinka Festival (Budapesti Palinka Fesztival)
Website:: www.budapestipalinkafesztival.hu

International Circus Festival

The Hungarian State Circus building of Budapest, which is unique in Central Europe (the only circus building made of stone) is home, every two years, to the International Circus Festival.

As a rule, the festival is organized in late January or early February, and it is more than a mere leisure opportunity that enthusiasts can enjoy as spectators. It is a huge challenge for all performers who participate, being drawn by the reputation the circus and the festival alike have gained in time. Indeed, the International Circus Festival of Budapest is one of the most awaited events in the worldwide agenda of circus performances.

For updated and complete information on the event, follow the indications below:

Name:: International Circus Festival
Email:: festival@circus.hu
Website:: www.fnc.hu

Budapest Spring Festival

Roughly speaking, the Budapest Spring Festival is the first major cultural event held each year in the capital of Hungary. The performances occasioned by this festival cover a large part of the artistic spectrum, with cinematographic, theater, musical and dance representations hosted by sundry venues in Budapest.

Indeed, given the amplitude and the duration of the Budapest Spring Festival, as well as the diversity of the nature of the occasioned performances, the event could not be hosted by a single venue. The festival usually begins in mid March and lasts about two weeks.

International and national virtuosos participate to the event, but the Budapest Spring Festival often proves to be an occasion to celebrate the heritage from sundry foreign or local figures who have created in the field of music (classical music, jazz and so on) in particular and in art in general.

For updated information on the following edition of the Budapest Spring Festival, follow the indications provided below.

Name:: Budapest Spring Festival (Budapesti Tavaszi Fesztival)
Website:: www.fesztivalvaros.hu

Titanic International Film Festival

Held in early April and lasting about 10 days, the Titanic International Film Festival takes hold of the cinemas of Budapest each year. The film screenings occasioned by the event are intended to promote the latest novelties in the field, focusing on both the artistic movies and the documentaries.

The Titanic International Film Festival is a chance for young filmmakers to make their way through on the national and international scene. The most coveted after award is the so-called Breaking Waves Award (Fodij, the Grand Prize), but the Audience Award is, it too, an acknowledgment of the value of the presented film. As a rule, the awards go to the most innovative creators.

For complete and updated information on the next edition of the festival, use the following indications:

Name:: Titanic International Film Festival (Titanic Nemzetkozi Filmfesztival)
Email:: info@titanicfilmfest.hu
Website:: www.titanicfilmfest.hu

Crosstalk Video Art Festival

The Crosstalk Video Art Festival is held in early June, and it focuses on promoting the state-of-the-art productions in the field of media and video art, welcoming contestants from all over the world. The productions are rated and valued according to their originality and innovative qualities.

The mission of the Crosstalk Video Art Festival is to encourage artists to create in a manner as less mainstream and as eccentric as possible.

For a thorough description of the program of the Crosstalk Video Art Festival, use the information provided below:

Name:: Crosstalk Video Art Festival
Website:: crosstalk.hu

Danube Carnival

The Danube Carnival is organized each mid June by the so-called Danube Carnival International Multicultural Foundation. The mission of this foundation is to keep alive the rich heritage of the Hungarian folk culture, but not exclusively, since representatives of sundry international traditions are also welcome to perform at the Danube Festival.

Roughly speaking, the performances consist of music and dance representations meant to call forth the value of traditional artistic expressions, but they are also designed to create a connection between past and present, since a further objective of the festival is to showcase the latest creations in terms of dance and music shows.

The performances are not confined to a single venue. On the contrary, they take hold of some of the most popular public places in Budapest, such as Margaret Island and the Chain Bridge. The Museum of Ethnography is, it too, taken into account as scene where some of the representations are to be put on. Besides the shows proper, another highlight of the festival refers to dance parade which musters about 1000 participants marching on some of the most important thoroughfares of Budapest.

For further information on the following edition of the festival, use the indications provided below:

Name:: Danube Carnival (Duna Karneval)
Website:: www.dunaart.com

Sziget Festival

The Sziget Festival is an event of special tourist interest for Budapest. It entices hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, in the first half of August, who head for Hajogyari Island (Obuda Island, the party island of Budapest) in order to spend a week of uninterrupted partying while delighting in listening to the music shows put on by some of the most resonant names in the field of rock music (as well as of other genres, though rock tends to dominate the scene).

The Sziget Festival (in translation, the Island Festival) is a relatively recent annual happening on the musical scene of Europe, its first edition having been organized in 1993. Yet, it managed to attain worldwide popularity in no time, its magnetism being evidenced by the ever increasing crowds of people who set foot on Hajogyari Island each year.

Besides enjoying the music shows proper, the public also has the possibility to indulge in all sorts of outdoor activities (camping-related, sports, theater performances).

For updated information on the next edition of the festival, follow the indications below:

Name:: Sziget Festival
Website:: start.sziget.hu

Budafest Summer Music Festival

Budapest is worldwide renowned for its architectural heritage which, at the same time, works as a strong tourist incentive for people who want to visit the capital of Hungary. However, when this historical asset is turned into the chief scene for the performances occasioned by the Budafest Summer Music Festival, lovers of all that is classical as artistic expression will most certainly experience a moment of great satisfaction.

Indeed, the Budafest Summer Music Festival unites into a coherent set the architecturally valuable buildings of Budapest (such as the State Opera House) and classical music performances put on by both international and national artists and orchestras.

The festival usually begins in early July and ends in mid August, meaning it provides a generous opportunity for people who want to explore the cultural scene of Budapest as extensively as possible.

For detailed information on the next edition of Budafest, use the indications below:

Name:: Budafest Summer Music Festival
Website:: www.budafest.hu

Festival of Folk Art

Held in the second half of August and hosted by the Buda Royal Palace (Buda Castle), the Festival of Folk Art musters folk artists from Hungary and abroad, for that matter, who provide dance and music performances, next to craftsmanship demonstrations in order to feature the highlights of their specific folk culture. A gastronomical program with plenty of sampling opportunities is also included in the event.

Name:: Festival of Folk Art (Mestersegek Unnepe)
Website:: www.nesz.hu / mestersegekunnepe.hu

Caucasian Challenge

Car race enthusiasts will be happy to learn Budapest is the starting point for the so-called Caucasian Challenge, a car race the route of which crosses through Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh, and Armenia, which marks the finishing line of the contest.

The race is not only about testing the performances of the vehicles, but also about searching out, even from the point of view of a passionate tourist, the less frequented and rather anonymous paths of the countries crossed by the route. All sorts of vehicles are allowed to participate, regardless of their technical parameters.

The name of the race speaks for its specificity: the goal is to manage to get to the finishing line with the satisfaction of having faced the challenges implied in an attempt exclusively fueled by each competitor’s ambition and passion to discover new and unknown territories.

The event starts in mid August and last about two weeks.

For complete information on the race, its route, duration, conditions that must be complied with in order to enter the race, and the like, follow the indications below:

Name:: Caucasian Challenge
Website:: www.caucasianchallenge.com

Jewish Summer Festival

Budapest is one of the hubs of the Jewish culture in Europe, featuring plenty of landmarks which call forth the amplitude and the impact of the Jewish community in Hungary. The Dohany Street Synagogue, the second largest Judaic temple in the world, is one of the venues where the performances occasioned by the Jewish Summer Festival take place.

The program includes all sorts of happenings which range from music concerts to craftsmanship markets, from exhibitions to book markets. All these are intended to familiarize the public with the millennial traditions of the Jewish culture. A special emphasis is laid on the Klezmer music performances, Klezmer being one of the coordinates which have always accompanied the development of the Jewish traditions.

As a rule, the festival is held between late August and early September, and last about a week.

In order to learn more about the program conceived for the next edition of the Jewish Summer Festival, use the information provided below:

Name:: Jewish Summer Festival (Zsido Nyari Fesztival)
Website:: www.zsidonyarifesztival.hu

Buda Castle Wine Festival

As the name suggests, the Buda Castle Wine Festival is organized in Budavari, and the covered theme consists of all sorts of happenings meant to explain the subtleties of the wine culture. Thus, the instructive workshops and conferences are complemented by a range of sampling opportunities, which is always enticing for both the connoisseurs and mere amateurs.

An entire array of gastronomical temptations is also included in the program, since, indeed, a significant part of the wine culture consists of the art to associate the right wine with the right food. Music performances are also available.

The festival is held in the first half of September, and it lasts no less than 3 days.

For complete information on the Buda Castle Wine Festival and on the happenings programed for the next edition, follow the indications below:

Name:: Buda Castle Wine Festival (Budavari Borfesztival)
Website:: www.aborfesztival.hu

Budapest International Marathon

The Budapest International Marathon is one of the most popular and awaited sports events organized in the capital of Hungary. Thousands of runners come to Budapest from abroad in order to participate to the challenging race, not to mention the equally generous participation of locals and nationals.

The race has the advantage of being set up to cover the most central parts of the riverside promenade, on the both banks of the Danube, which is, without a doubt, a plus.

As a rule, the event takes hold of Budapest in early October, and the sports event, which is the core of the entire marathon, is complemented by music performances and open-air entertainment.

In order to learn more about the conditions of participation, as well as on the route and the adjoining happenings, follow the indications below:

Name:: Budapest International Marathon
Website:: www.budapestmarathon.com

Budapest International Half Marathon

The Budapest International Half Marathon is yet another highly attractive sports event organized in the capital of Hungary, and, as a rule, it is organized a month before the International Marathon, that is, in early September. The route is established such as to be physically challenging and to offer some of the most stunning sights from the architectural landscape of Budapest.

Participants (both nationals and foreigners) come to Budapest by thousands furthermore enlivening the streets of the city and giving the public a good reason to cheer while sustaining their favorite athletes.

For updated information on the next edition of the Budapest International Half Marathon, follow the indications below:

Name:: Budapest International Half Marathon
Website:: www.budapestmarathon.com

Budapest Baroque Festival

The Budapest Baroque Festival is hosted by the wonderfully acoustic Church of Saint Mihaly, and it is advisable for people who harbor a keen interest in classical music. The festival consists of a series of performances given on a 2-week period, delighting the enthusiast public.

Usually, the festival lasts from mid September to early October, but for updated information on the next edition, on the program and artists to perform, use the indications below:

Name:: Baroque Festival (Budapesti Barokk Fesztival)
Website:: www.barokkfesztival.hu

Contemporary Drama Festival

The Contemporary Drama Festival could be rightfully deemed an ideal launch pad for the latest and most innovative productions in the field. Artists throughout Europe are welcome to participate by putting forward their least mainstream creations. The success one attains at the Contemporary Drama Festival is usually defined as a preview of their future trajectory in theater.

The festival begins in November and fills a part of December too, and it is hosted by sundry venues in Budapest.

In order to learn more about the program of the next edition of the Contemporary Drama Festival, follow the indications below:

Name:: Contemporary Drama Festival (Kortars Dramafesztival)
Website:: www.dramafestival.hu

Budapest Autumn Festival

The amplitude of the Budapest Autumn Festival is comparable with the force with which the Budapest Spring Festival takes hold of the cultural (artistic) scene of the city. Plenty of venues are called to host the performances occasioned by the festival, performances which range from theater representations to music shows and everything in between.

Without a doubt, the performing arts delineate the scope of the festival, and for some 10 days (mid October), Budapest turns into the central European scene of such performances.

For complete information on the artists bound to perform, as well as for the complete program of the next edition of the Budapest Autumn Festival, use the indications below:

Name:: Budapest Autumn Festival (Budapesti Oszi Fesztival)
Website:: www.fesztivalvaros.hu

Budapest Art Fair

The Budapest Art Fair is usually held in late November. The Palace of Arts of Budapest is one of the venues where the exhibitions are organized, but this is not the only venue. It is, however, a landmark of the event.

A special emphasis is laid on the contemporary art works, which are intensely popularized, regardless of origin (by national or international artists).

In order to learn more about the next edition of this major artistic event in Budapest, follow the indications below:

Name:: Budapest Art Fair
Website:: www.budapestartfair.hu

T-Mobile Bonusz Festival

It is no overstatement to say the T-Mobile Bonusz Festival is for the electronic music in Hungary (and not only) what the Sziget Festival represents for the European rock music scene. Despite the fact the target public is, obviously, different, the popularity is just as stunning, since the crowd eager to dance amounts to thousands of enthusiasts.

Some of the most famed names in the field come and perform or mix live music, throwing Budapest in a raving trance. The festival is organized at Hungexpo, a venue large enough to accommodate several arenas and stages, not to mention the overwhelming public. It is held in mid October.

For detailed information on the history of the T-Mobile Bonusz Festival, how it came to become an event of special tourist significance, and on the next edition, follow the indications below:

Name:: T-Mobile Bonusz Festival (T-Mobile Bonusz Fesztival)
Website:: www.bonuszfesztival.hu

Budapest Christmas Fair

Shopping is undoubtedly a major tourist trump of Budapest. But however rewarding these shopping opportunities may be, they tend to entice tourists and locals alike even more during the winter holiday season.

The Budapest Christmas Fair does not only make available the all-season mainstream offers, but it also puts forward a range of specific products. Thus, the Vorosmarty Square becomes, while lit with thousands of sparkling bulbs, the core of seasonal shopping in Budapest. Arts and crafts, clothes and souvenirs, food and pastry stalls, as well as stalls selling mulled wine, all these can be explored at leisure throughout December.

Budapest Summer Festival

The Budapest Summer Festival refers to quite an ample series of events, cultural in principle, programmed to take place throughout the summer season. Most of the performances are held on Margaret Island, and they refer chiefly to theater, music, opera and ballet representations.

Other open-air entertainment opportunities are also available, but the bottom line is the festival is diverse and long enough to fuel the interest and curiosity of people who plan to spend an extended vacation in Budapest.

For complete information on the scheduled events, follow the indications below:

Name:: Budapest Summer Festival (Budapesti Nyari Fesztivalon)
Website:: szabadter.hu

SzeptEmber Fezst

SzeptEmber Fezst is a highly popular 3-day event in Budapest. It starts on September the 1st, and one of its particular features is it is prominently family-oriented. The scheduled music performances, which are considerably various as genre, are held in Nepliget.

However, a special attraction of the festival refers to the open-air gastronomic competition which, regardless of winners, brings joy to the public who can indulge in sampling and exploring the vast array of culinary temptations. Children are also taken care of, since plenty of fun and interactive programs have been conceived to suit their specific entertainment needs.

In order to learn more about the programmed events, follow the indications provided below:

Name:: SzeptEmber Fezst
Website:: www.szeptemberfeszt.hu