Carnival ( Farsang season ) – 06 January – 05 March 2016
In Hungary the carnival season (Farsang) that precedes Lent, starts on Epiphany (January 6th) and it ends on Ash Wednesday (which is March 5th in 2014). Farsang is marked by many fun festivities, masquerades, balls and noisy parades that aim to scare off winter and welcome spring. There are many celebrations held throughout Hungary with the Busójárás in Mohács being the most popular.
The Busójárás follows old folk traditions and is acknowledged by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is organised in Mohacs between the 27th of February and 4th of March 2014 – one of the most famous traditional festival in All Hungary – it has a meaning of the farewell from the winter and greetings of the Spring as well – the Sokac people dress themself in scary masks – there is an explanation that this event has a connection with Turkish invasion – they scare the Turkish home with this scary masks
The Thursday after Ash Wednesday, is Fat Thursday (Torkos Csütörtök) in Hungary, the final day to indulge your taste buds before fasting begins. The event brings alive an old folk tradition of feasting to rid of the leftovers from carnival season (farsang). On this day you can wine & dine for half price at participating restaurants in Budapest and Hungary. This initiative by the Hungarian Tourism Office lasts only one day, but the good news is that there is no set menu and the 50% discount, valid for lunch and dinner, applies to your final bill including food and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Mangalica Festival 07 – 09 February 2014
Venue : Budapest, Szabadság tér
This gastronomic event is all about the curly-haired mangalica pig, a Hungarian heritage breed, which came close to extinction just a few decades ago. You can taste a variety of products, mainly sausages and salamis, made from mangalica meat, which is said to be more flavorful and healthier than regular pork.
It's free to enter the Mangalica Festival.
Budapest Fish Festival 13 – 16 February 2014
Venue : Hungarian National Museum
The Budapest Fish Festival promises to be a fun event. For a country known for its hot and spicy Fisherman's soup prepared exclusively from freshwater fish, this three-day gastronomic event will offer plenty of fish dishes. Cooking contests, wine and pálinka tastings, live music, folklore shows and kids' programs are all part of the festival. In 2014, the event will take place in the garden of the Hungarian National Museum.
Keep warm and be sure to try a bowl of halászlé (Fisherman's soup).
WAMP the Design Fair 16 February 2014
Venue : Erzsébet tér ( square )
Budapest's biweekly design market, features creations by contemporary Hungarian designers. WAMP is held on Sundays. In December, WAMP changes its theme for the holiday season and the Christmas Design and Gastro Fair features many great gift ideas for three weekends in a row.
WAMP is a great place to find one-of-a-kind gifts or just browse around and surprise yourself with some uniquely designed clothes and accessories. WAMP also offers interactive handicraft workshops for kids.
It's free to enter WAMP
VinCE Budapest 28 February – 02 March 2014
Venue : Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal *****
VinCE Budapest 2014 promises to be a great wine event for professionals and amateur wine lovers alike. The primary focus of VinCE is wine (vin) in Central Europe (CE). Over 100 wineries from Hungary and the neighboring countries and winemakers from outside the region will offer their wines for tasting during the three-day event.
Held in the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, VinCE Budapest will host wine exhibitions, wine tastings, master-classes, wine competitions and interactive workshops for professionals and the public. In addition to wine, pálinka will also be featured, with the best distilleries presenting their products.
Ticket prices vary from HUF 2,000 to HUF 8,000.
National Holiday 15 March 2014
Venue : multiple locations
March 15th is a National Holiday in Hungary. It stands for democracy and freedom and it commemorates the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, which grew into a war for independence from Habsburg rule. T
here are several buildings and traditions, which have become a symbol of the revolution and are part of the commemorative ceremonies. Hungarians proudly wear cockades on this day and some of the official celebrations are held at the Hungarian National Museum where young Hungarian revolutionaries, led by poet Sándor Petőfi, held a mass demonstration on the first day of the revolution in 1848.
The Budapest Restaurant Week 17 – 23 March 2014
The BUdapest Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to enjoy good food at discount prices at some of Budapest's top restaurants. There are over 30 restaurants participating in the event. Each restaurant will offer a special, three course prix fixe dinner and lunch menu for only 3300 HUF so guests can sample their tasty fare.
Budapest Spring Festival 21 March – 06 April 2014
Venue : multiple locations, e.g Opera, Palace of Arts, Hungarian Academy of Music etc.
Pulling together the best in classical music, opera, jazz and folk music, this annual festival is the largest cultural event in Hungary. A multitude of venues throughout the city welcome both, Hungarian and international performers. Budapest celebrates its 34th Spring Festival in 2014.
There will be over 50 performances and exhibitions to choose from during the 10 days of the festival, the Budapest Opera will premier Parsifal and Rigoletto, the Papp László Sport Arena will welcome dance house events, the Palace of Arts will feature a series of classical concerts and several plays are on the repertoire at the Hungarian National Theatre.
The Budapest Spring Festival also celebrates the 133rd anniversary of a great Hungarian musician, Béla Bartók, with a concert by the National Philharmonic Orchestra on March 25th, in the Palace of Arts.
Titanic International Filmfest 04 – 12 April 2014
Venue : Art Cinemas,e.g Uránia, Örökmozgó, Toldi
The Titanic Filmfest is the biggest international film festival in Hungary. The most outstanding, daring and innovative movie of the festival is rewarded with the ‘Breaking Wawes Award’. The reciver of the award is voted on unanimously by an international jury. In 2014, Budapest celebrates the 21st Titanic Filmfest. Films from 29 countries, including international premiers are on the program.
Easter in Hungary 18 – 21 April 2014
Venue : multiple locations
In the Christian calendar Easter (Húsvét in Hungarian) celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and marks the end of lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts forty days. In Hungary Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are public holidays.
In Hungary Easter is symbolized by Easter eggs, Easter bunnies, Easter bread, Easter ham and the tradition of sprinkling the women with perfume. The best Easter programs are in the countryside where traditional Easter celebrations are held. Here are some recommendations:
Easter Festival in Hollókő :
The Easter Festival in Hollókő is probably the most famous in Hungary. Hollókő is known for embracing the folk traditions of the 18th century, where locals dress up in traditional costumes for the Easter festivities. There are several programs and activities during the two-day Easter Festival, including egg painting, folklore programs, arts and crafts and kids programs. Visitors can sample traditional Easter dishes.
Easter Mondays are usually lot of fun in Hollókő, as 'Dousing Day' is practiced following old traditions. Boys would douse the girls with buckets of water to ensure they become good wives. In exchange for the dousing the girls would reward the boys with Easter eggs – the main reason for which Easter eggs are decorated in Hungary.
Matyó Easter at Mezőkövesd
Another town known for its old folk traditions, beautiful embroidery and uniquely decorated Easter eggs is Mezőkövesd, the home of the Matyó, an ethnic group in Hungary. Easter celebrations are held in the ‘Hadas’ district, the oldest part of Mezőkövesd. Easter events and activities include folk crafts, Easter egg painting, wine tasting, Easter ham sampling and petting zoo for the kids.
Easter in Noszvaj
This small village near Eger is one of the few places in Hungary where many of the locals still practice traditional folk crafts as their profession. These range from woodcarving to egg painting and visitors can partake in many of the activities and enjoy live folk music and dance performances. Visitors can sample traditional, oven backed Easter bread with raisins, walnuts or poppy-seed and taste the local wine.
Easter in Szépasszony-völgy, Eger
Known for its famous red wine, ‘Bull’s Blood’, Eger is also a favorite destination for Easter celebrations. The place to visit is Szépasszony-völgy, ‘The Valley of the Beautiful Women’, just south of the city, where visitors can participate in Easter egg decorating, learn traditional folk dancing, visit the folk art fair and of course taste the regions’ full-bodied red wines.
Easter in Szentendre
Another great place to witness a traditional Hungarian Easter is Szentendre, which is just outside of Budapest. The festivities take place at the Skanzen, the Open Air Ethnographic Museum, and they include Easter egg painting, dance and music, various kids programs, articraft and gastro fair.
Budapest Dance Festival 19 – 29 April 2014
Venue : National Dance Theatre
The National Dance Theater's Budapest Dance Festival, held annualy on and around April 29th, the International Dance Day, features a whole array of dance styles from ballet and contemporary to folk dance. A multitude of venues throughout the city welcome both, Hungarian and international dance companies. It all goes on for ten days with performers like the Grupo Corpo, the Company Fabrik Potsdam and the Yvette Bozsik Company on the program.
Budapest 100 26 – 27 April 2014
Venue : multiple locations
Budapest 100 is an annual celebration of 100-year old buildings in the city. Budapest is an architectural paradise and this new event opens the door to visitors for a behind the scenes look at historic buildings built
exactly 100 years ago. More than fifty buildings spread around the city are part of this year's event. The buildings are a mixture of residential houses, schools, museums and offices, which are otherwise closed to the public.
Budapest 100 is organized by the Open Society Archives and the Hungarian Contemporary Architecture Centre. Their aim is to make it an annual event that will be held on the 100th day of each year.
The Hungarian Contemporary Architecture Centre offers free, guided tours in every district that’s part of the event. Each tour is limited to 40 people and pre-registration is required. It’s not necessary to be part of a tour, as the buildings are open to the general public during the event and you can visit them at your own pace.
Some of the buildings that stand out on this year's list are the famous Széchenyi Baths, the Ministry of Finance Building, the Adria Palace, District 5 and the Bagolyvár Restaurant in City Park
Rosalia – Rosé Festival – 10 – 12 May 2014
Venue : Gesztenyés kert, Buda, District 12
Brought to you by the organizers of the prestigious Budapest International Wine Festival, Rosalia is Hungary's only festival dedicated to rosé wines, sparkling wines and champagnes. The three-day event features a Rosé Garden, with plenty of tasting, jazz concerts, kids programs and traditional Hungarian food paired with your wine. A rosé wine challenge is also part of the event.
European Dragon Boat Championship 11 – 12 May 2014
Venue : Banks of the Danube, Rákóczi Bridge
Dragon boat racing, which originated in China over 2000 years ago, is one of the most popular team water sports today. There are several championships in Europe and Budapest is host to some of the races held annually between May and September. The championship in Budapest is also celebrated with a Dragon Boat Festival
Festival of Museums – Múzeumok Majálisa 11 – 12 May 2014
Venue : The garden of the Hungarian Nationa Museum
More than 100 museums come together each year in May in the beautiful garden of the Hungarian National Museum to celebrate the Festival of Museums. The art loving city of Budapest has numerous museums and galleries showcasing art and culture and visitors to the festival can take a virtual tour of each. Plus, there will be plenty of entertainment, including live music, theater and dance shows.
The Festival of Museums is a family event, so bring your little ones. Visitors can try some Hungarian arts and crafts, ceramics, painting and photography. Visit the garden of the Hungarian National Museum for a day of cultural discoveries. The two-day festival is free for everyone.
The Budapest Pálinka Festivál 16 – 19 May 2014
Venue : Erzsébet Tér ( square )
The Budapest Pálinka Festival is a unique gastronomic event where visitors can taste over 300 different types of pálinka, a special Hungarian type of brandy. All major producers along with some smaller, family-run distilleries will showcase their finest spirits at the festival.
Pálinka is not for the faint hearted and is best accompanied by some Hungarian delicacies. If you have too much to drink, head on over to one of the food stalls offering sausages, cheese and chocolate. There will be plenty of live music to set the mood and make this event even more enjoyable.
Jazz Spring 28 – 30 May 2014
Venue : Palace of Arts
The 2014 Jazz Spring Festival at the Palace of Arts will feature internationally acclaimed jazz performers, like the Pat Metheny Unity Group. Four different concerts are scheduled during the 2-day event.
Budai Gourmet 31 May – 02 June 2014
Venue : Millenáris
Budai Gourmet is a gastro festival brought to you by the people behind Sziget Festival and the award winning Costes Restaurant. The festival aims to bring together the best wine makers, pálinka distillers, restaurants and confectioners along with a market place for producers to showcase their homemade cheese, ham, sausage, jam, honey, chocolate and other delicacies.
In recent years there have been more and more gastro-themed festivals in Budapest and they all try to bring something unique. Budai Gourmet adds a twist by inviting more than 25 of Hungary's top restaurants for a culinary extravaganza.
Bock, Costes,Csalogány26, Déryné, Nobu, Rosenstein and Tigris are just some of the restaurants to try at the festival.
Wagner in the Budapest Opera Festival 08 – 23 June 2014
Venue : Palace of Arts
The Palace of Arts presents its critically acclaimed sell-out concert series of Wagner’s work: The Ring of the Nibelung and Tannhäuser.
In 2014 the festival once again features conductor Ádám Fischer, highly regarded as a connoisseur of Wagner's music who appeared on several occasions at the Bayreuth Festival, bringing a cast of world-renowned singers for this production at the Palace of Arts.
The Wagner in Budapest Opera Festival's program:
- June 12, 2014 - The Ring of the Nibelung: Das Rheingold
- June 13, 2014 - The Ring of the Nibelung: Die Walküre
- June 14, 2014 - The Ring of the Nibelung: Siegfried
- June 15, 2014 - The Ring of the Nibelung: Götterdämmerung
- June 20, 2014 - Tannhäuser
- June 22, 2014 - Tannhäuser
Buda Castle Beer Festival 13 – 16 June 2014
Venue: The Royal Palace's Oroszlános and Hunyadi courtyards, and the Savoyai terrace
The Budavári Sörfesztivál or Buda Castle Beer Festival, first organized in 2011, is now an annual event.
The 4-day festival brings almost 200 domestic and international beer types to beer-lovers. Well known breweries like Borsodi, Dreher and Heineken along with lesser-known microbreweries will be in Buda Castle at the Royal Palace to showcase their products. German, Czech and Belgian beers will also be represented among many other nations' best brews. Visitors will have a chance to taste beer specialties, learn about the history of beer making and learn how to draw a drought. There will be plenty of tasty fare to pair with your beer and several live performances to keep everyone entertained.
Budapest Summer Festival 14 June – 31 August 2014
Venue : Margaret Island Open-air Stage and Városmajor Open-air Stage
Open-air theater performances, musicals, dance shows, kids’ programs and several concerts are held every summer (June-July-August) during the Budapest Summer Festival. Programs are offered at two locations, on Margaret Island and in Városmajor. The Margaret Island Open-air Stage, located in the shadow of the historic Art Nouveau water tower, is the only permanent open-air stage in Hungary and can accommodate approximately 3000 people.
The Night of the Museums 22 June 2014
Venue : participating museums
Have a sleepover with history; spend the night at Budapest's museums and find out if museums really do come to life after hours. Museums open their doors to visitors until 2:30 am for this annual event.
Participating museums include famous museums and galleries, like the Hungarian National Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Budapest History Museum, the House of Terror Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery, the Museum of Applied Arts and the Hungarian Natural History Museum.
Unique museums with quirky collections are also on the list, such as the Hospital in the Rock Museum, the Underground Railway Museum, the Museum of Electrotechnics, thePostal Museum and the Museum of Transport. There are more than 1,000 programs offered, all of which can be visited with one single ticket; including bus transfer between main venues.
Vajdahunyad Summer Festival 11 July – 08 August 2014
City Park – Vajdahunyad Castle
The Vajdahunyadvár Summer Festival is a festival of classical music, swing, klezmer as well as traditional Hungarian gypsy music. The courtyard of Vajdahunyad Castle, built in Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles, provides a beautiful and romantic background for this annual event.
Performances are scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays and start at 8:30 pm.
Formula 1 – Hungarian Grand Prix 26 – 28 July 2014
The Formula 1 Magyar Nagydij is held at the Hungaroring Grand Prix Circuit near the small town of Mogyoród, 18 km northeast of Budapest.
An evening of Dance at the Carmelite Courtyard,30 July–14 August
Every summer Castle Hill is giving home to a series of dance nights organized by the National Dance Theatre featuring folk dance, flamenco, tango and modern dance. Performances start at 8:30 pm in the Carmelite Courtyard, located next to the National Dance Theatre.
Sziget Festival 11 – 18 August 2014
Venue : Shipyard Island – Hajógyári Sziget
Sziget Festival is one of the largest music festivals in the world and certainly the best party-filled week of the year in Hungary. Around 400,000 people come every August to the 'Sziget' for a week of music and entertainment. The organizers teamed up to present the hottest concerts of the day featuring well known international artists, the cream of Hungarian bands and rising stars.
Festival Of Folk Arts 17 – 20 August 2014
Venue : Buda Castle
The Festival of Folk Arts (Mesterségek Ünnepe) brings the finest Hungarian craftsmen and their work to Buda Castle from across the country. They include a variety of different folk crafts ranging from woodcarving to egg painting and visitors can partake in many of the activities, as well as enjoy live folk music and dance performances.
Just like many other festivals in Budapest and Hungary, the Festival of Folk Arts is also a celebration of the famous Hungarian gastronomy with wine and palinka tasting, traditional Hungarian dishes and delicious home-made pastries. The festival is timed to coincide with the St. Stephen's Day celebrations.
St. Stephen’s Day - 20 August 2014
Multiple Location
August 20th is the greatest national holiday for Hungarians, celebrated with day-long festivities followed by spectacular fireworks throughout the country. August 20th commemorates the foundation of the Hungarian state, it's like Hungary's 4th of July. Also called as St. Stephen's Day, remembering Stephen I, the first king of Hungary and founder of the Kingdom of Hungary, who was canonized on August 20th, 1083 by Pope Gregory VII.
Festivities start in the morning with the raising of the Hungarian flag and continue on all day long, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display over the Danube. The main events include the procession of St. Stephen's Holy Right Hand around the Basilica, the Court of St Stephen, a historical playhouse, archery shows, a water parade and an air show along the embankments of the river Danube.
Jewish Summer Festival 25 August – 01 September 2014
Venue : Great Synagoge
The Jewish Summer Festival was first organized in 1998 and its goal was to introduce Jewish culture (music, dance, fine art, books and films) to as many people as possible. The center of the event is the spectacular Great Synagogue in Dohány Street, the second largest Synagogue in the world (after the one in NYC).
Programs include concerts at the Rumbach Street Synagogue and at the Great Synagogue, movie screenings at Uránia Theatre and much more.
Budapest Short Film Festival ( BuSho ) 03 – 08 September 2014
From September 3-8, Budapest will become the center of the short film world as the 9th annual Budapest Short Film Festival (BuSho) unspools its 86 masterpieces selected from 1,844 entries. The festival is a showcase of developing young filmmakers from all over the world competing in three categories: fiction, animation and experimental. The festival's official language is English, and all movies will come with English subtitles.
Most screenings take place at the Vörösmarty Cinema (Pest, Üllői út 4). The festival screens 86 films from 30 countries over its six day run
Septemberfest 06 – 08 September 2014
Venue : Népliget
Gastronomy, culture and entertainment in Népliget, one of the largest parks in Budapest. One of the highlights of Septemberfest is the 'Stew Making Competition'. Enjoy Pop, Rock, Jazz and folk music, good food and lots of programs for kids.
Entry is free to the festival.
Craft-Beer Festival 06 – 08 September 2014
Venue: Mikszáth Kálmán tér and Szabó Ervin tér
Főzdefeszt, Hungary's semi-annual Craft-Beer Festival, is held in the former Palace Neighborhood of District 8. The aim of the festival is to introduce Hungarian beer and to bring breweries, pub owners and beer-lovers together.
18 microbreweries from all over the country will come to Budapest's Mikszáth Kálmán Square to showcase their products. Visitors will have a chance to taste 'Korty', a famous Hungarian beer specialty, fermented with Tokaji Aszú, and only available on tap in Miskolc and Prague. Other beers to taste are the dark colored, blueberry beer from Békésszentandrás and the millet beer, brewed especially for the festival. Guest breweries from abroad include Schneider Weisse and Camba Bavaria from Germany and Zatec, Koutsky and Vyskov from the Czech Republic.
While Hungary isn't particularly known for its beer, there are some unique brews and this is a great event to find your new favorite. Be adventurous. Some brews may end up surprising you. There will be 8 pubs on hand to serve specialty pub fare paired with your beer.
Foie Gras Festival 06 – 08 September 2014
Venue : Erzsébet Tér
The Foie Gras Festival (Libamáj Fesztivál) is a unique culinary event. In addition to the Hungarian goose specialties there will be plenty of entertainment for visitors.
Organized by the Hungarian Goose Association, the three-day Foie Gras Festival includes a cooking school, various kid's programs and live musical performances. Whether you are a gourmet or a gourmand, if you like to eat and drink, this promises to be a great event.
Budapest International Wine Festival 10 – 14 September 2014
Venue : Castle Hill
Over the past years The Budapest International Wine Festival has truly come of age and is now one of the most prestigious events of its kind in Hungary. Enjoy many popular events, including a Wine University, a wine auction, an arts festival and several live performances. Last year the festival attracted tens of thousands of visitors making it one of the largest wine festivals in the country. The International Wine Festival in Buda Castle Hill is an experience for everyone who wants to learn about the art of wine making, sample some of the best Hungarian wines, meet notable wine makers and enjoy Hungarian gastronomy and folk music all in a breathtaking setting.
Budapest International Half Maraton 14 September 2014
Venue : Budapest street route
The Budapest International Half Marathon follows a scenic route from Pest, over the Chain Bridge to Buda and back to Pest again all the way to the finish-line in City Park. The start gate on Kós Károly sétány is located about 100 meters from the race centre.
National Gallop 20 – 22 September 2014
Venue : Heroes’ Square
National Gallop is an annual cultural event celebrating Hungarian equestrian traditions. It's a horse race reviving Hungarian military history and the famous 'hussar' culture. The center of the event is a national horse race, a spectacular show, where Hungary's towns and villages prove their horse riding skills.
The event takes place in Heroes' Square, which is turned into a huge race course and covered with sand.
Sweet Days – Chocolate and Candy Festival 20 – 22 September
Venue : Millenaris
There are plenty of sausage, wine and pálinka festivals in Budapest, so here is an event for those of us with a sweet tooth. Budapest's annual Chocolate and Candy Festival promises to be a sweet culinary event that offers participants a chance to experience everything cocoa products have to offer. For three days, chocolate will be featured in all its magnificent and tasty forms.
Several multinational companies, chocolate craftsmen, producers and traders from Hungary and abroad will be in attendance atSweet Days to tempt you with their delicacies. Fruits, seeds, coffee, vanilla, various syrups, honey, fine wines and sweet drinks will accompany the chocolate and candy at the festival. There will be several kid-friendly programs to keep the little ones entertained while grown-ups can partake in chocolate-making courses and guided chocolate tasting tours or learn 'sweet' recipes and more. Evening entertainment includes musical programs and live concerts accompanied by drinks and fine wines. In 2013, the guest of honor will be Switzerland.
Budapest International Film Festival 20 – 27 September 2014
Multiple venues
The first ever Budapest International Film Festival (or BIFF) will be held in September 2014. The new festival aims to become an annual event where feature films, short films, documentaries and animations will compete for the highest recognition each year. The 1st prize for the best production will be a gold replica of Chain Bridge, along with EUR 20,000 in prize money. 11 prizes will be awarded in total, in the following categories: best feature film, best actor, best actress, best director, best cinematography, best documentary, best short film, best animation, best Hungarian film, best Visegrad film prize and audience prize.
Film screenings will be held in movie theaters like, Corvin, Uránia, Puskin, Toldi and Odeon.
Budapest Design Week 27 September – 06 October 2014
Venue : Design Terminál and several galleries and fashion shops
Budapest Design Week is held every fall citywide and is open to both the public and the design industry, attracting over 60,000 people annually. This year’s event, the ninth in succession, will take place between September 27th and October 6th.
Budapest Pálinka and Sausage Festival 03 – 06 October 2014
Venue : Castle Hill
More than twenty pálinka (a type of Hungarian brandy) distillers and renowned sausage makers participate at this unique and very Hungarian gastronomic event, held annually in one of the most beautiful spots in Budapest, Castle Hill. The festival offers a combination of the best in pálinka, great food and entertainment. Visitors to the festival will have an opportunity to be the first to taste this year’s new pálinka distillates.
Each year the festival welcomes a guest country. In 2013 Cuba has been invited to participate and visitors will have a chance to sample Cuba’s national drink, the rum.
Sausage and pálinka go well together, so be sure to visit one of the sausage stands and sample their homemade products, such as Gyulai and Csabai kolbász.
Art Market Budapest 9 – 12 October 2014
Venue : Millenáris Park
Art Market Budapest is an exhibition and art fair that aims to bring attention and awareness to contemporary Central and Eastern European art and artists.
Art Market and its programs are designed to help bring the public and the artists closer together.
ART MARKET BUDAPEST defines a new cultural region: YOUNG EUROPE, where we may find combined influences from the former Communist countries stretching from the Baltic States to the Balkans, and from such sources of cultural inspiration as Turkey or Israel in the South, countries of Central Asia in the East, or even a progressive new generation of artists from the already established West. And what can be more attractive than a fair that is GLOBAL AND LOCAL at the same time?
Exhibitors arriving from over 20 countries and an audience of over 20 thousand international visitors clearly indicate that there had already been a demand in the art world for this new artistic platform to bring freshness to the European and global art scene.
Café Budapest – Contemporary Arts Festival 11 – 20 October
Multiple locations
Known for the past 20 years as Budapest Autumn Festival and recently renamed to Café Budapest, this festival celebrates the creative talent and achievements of contemporary art. During the festival Budapest’s cultural life comes alive with artists and works of contemporary art ranging from classical and pop music to dance, film and fine arts to children’s programs.
The list of venues includes popular cafés and retro pubs (like A38, Café Jedermann andSzatyor Bar) contemporary art galleries (like Trafó) and many of the city's theaters (like Átrium Cinema, and the National Theater). The program offers an exciting repertoire of theatre, dance and musical performances.
Octoberfest Budapest 11 – 13 October 2014
Venue : Kopaszi – gát
he first ever Oktoberfest Budapest promises to be the city's biggest celebration of our favorite malty beverage. The festival brings about 100 domestic and international beer types to beer-lovers. Well known breweries along with lesser-known microbreweries will showcase their products on Kopaszi-gát, a beautiful park in south Buda.
There will be plenty of tasty fare to pair with your beer and several live performances to keep everyone entertained. Just like 'the' Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest Budapest will also feature an agricultural fair. The three-day event starts Friday, October 11, at 2 pm and it's free for everyone.
Kürtöskalács ( Chimney cake ) Festival 11 – 13 October 2014
Venue : Városháza Park
Budapest's new gastro festival, the first ever Chimney Cake Festival, promises to be a fun and delicious event. Visitors can learn everything about the sweet, spiral-shaped 'kürtőskalács', a traditional pastry, that is so popular in Hungary. The festival offers a wide variety of chimney cakes, prepared over charcoal or fried in oil, plain or rolled into various toppings. There will be drawing contests for kids, magic shows, baking contests and lots of live music.
Spar Budapest International Marathon 12 October 2014
Venue : The start gate will be at Heroes' Square (Hősök tere)
The fascinating scenery and the beauty of Budapest makes this Marathon a unique experience. The route of the Budapest Marathon passes by Heroes' Square, Andrassy Avenue, Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Margaret Island and the Parliament Building.
October 23rd – Revolution of 1956
Multiple location
October 23rd is a national holiday in Hungary. It commemorates the Revolution of 1956, when Hungarians rose up against the Soviet ruled communist system.
It also commemorates the ‘Day of the Republic’, as in 1989, after the fall of communism, Hungary was declared a republic on October 23rd.
The 'Flavors of Hungary' Gastro Fair, 8 – 10 November 2014
Venue : Millenaris
The 'Flavors of Hungary' Gastro Fair (Kézműves Magyar Ízek Vására) is a semi-annual gastro event showcasing homegrown Hungarian products.
Visitors can sample homemade specialities from more than 150 vendors from around Hungary. What makes this event special is that all products are made by select Hungarian vendors. There will be a cooking show featuring traditional Hungarian recipes and visitors can get to know the vendors and producers and even vote for their favorites. Bring your kids, as this is a family event. A kid's corner, arts and crafts workshops and other programs will keep the little ones entertained.
This gastro fair, held at the Millenaris, is guaranteed to offer something for everyone. Homemade cheese, ham, sausage, jam, honey, dried fruits, chocolate, wine and palinka are just some of the delicacies awaiting visitors.
St. Martin’s Day Festival 10 November 2014
Venue : Vajdahunyad Castle
This annual goose & wine themed cultural festival at Vajdahunyad Castle is always held on or around November 11th, St. Martin's Day (Márton nap). The festival features a variety of goose dishes accompanied by the season's first new wines. Live music, folk dance shows and kids programs are also on the 'menu'. Homemade products can be purchased at the St. Martin’s Day Artisan Fair, located in the courtyard of Vajdahunyad Castle.
Fridge Festival - 21 – 24 November 2014
Venue : Hungexpo
The annual Fridge Festival features renowned international snowboarders and freestyle skiers competing for the Fridge title. They come from all over the world to show off their jumps from a ten-storey high ramp, covered with 200 tones of snow made just for the event. The competition kicks off with the snowboarders on Friday, followed by the freestyle skiers on Saturday.
Fridge Festival also brings a mix of electronic music with various bands from Europe and the US performing on two stages during the event. Ice-skating, skating lessons, hockey matches, a winter market with mulled wine and pálinka are all part of the Fridge festivities
New Wine and Cheese Festival - 30 November 2014
Venue : Vajdahunyad Castle
It's time to taste the season's first new wines! Winemakers from all over Hungary proudly show off their new wines, paired with artisanal cheese at the annual New Wine and Cheese Festival.
Design to Go – Creative Arts Christmas Fair 06 – 08 December
Venue : Museum of Applied Arts
Design to Go is the annual Christmas fair organized by the Museum of Applied Arts. Clothes, accessories, jewelry, home décor, toys, Christmas decorations and much more by 150 contemporary Hungarian artists are for sale during the 2-day event. Design to Go is a great place to find Christmas gifts and some unique Christmas-themed arts and crafts.
Budapest Christmas Market – December 2014
Venue : Vörösmarty Square
Each year, from the end of November to the end of December, Vörösmarty Square is transformed into the annual Budapest Christmas Market. Visitors can browse over 100 stands offering unique Christmas-themed arts and crafts. A giant Advent calendar on the facade of the glamorous Gerbeaud building, exhibitions, live entertainment and food & wine are also part of the festivities. Each day, between December 1st and 23rd a new window is opened in the Advent calendar, accompanied by light and music shows. Children’s programs include artisan courses and puppet shows.
The scent of traditional Hungarian foods like lángos (fry bread with a variety of toppings), (a cone-shaped sweet hollow pastry), roasted meats, fried sausages and other delicacies like home-made strudels, töki pompos (oven-baked dough) and roasted chestnuts wafting in the air is sure to whet your appetite. Soak up the holiday atmosphere and keep yourself warm while strolling among the wooden stalls of the market with a cup of mulled wine. The magical atmosphere of the Budapest Christmas market is a truly unforgettable experience.
The Christmas market is a great place to pick up some unique hand-made gifts as all products on sale are checked for quality and certified by the Association of the Hungarian Folk Artists.
Christmas Fair by the Basilika December 2014
Venue : St. István tér
From Advent to New Year the square in front of the Basilica gives home to a charming Christmas fair. There's an ice-rink in the middle surrounded by a number of vendors selling Christmas-themed arts and crafts, mulled wine, pálinka, fried sausages and other tasty fares. Advent candles are lit each Sunday. The ice-rink is small, but if you feel like hitting the ice during the holiday season, it's the perfect place to be
Gala Concert of the 100 – Member Gipsy Band 30 December 2014
Venue: Budapest Congress and World Trade Center
It has become a holiday-season tradition for the 100-Member Gipsy Band to perform a gala concert on December 30th of every year. Famous melodies by Liszt, Brahms, Strauss and Khachaturian are always part of the repertoire.
New Years Eve in Budapest 31 December 2014
Multiple Location
Valley of Arts
Kapolcs and Taliandorogd – 26th of July – 4th of August 2013 – a very interesting Art festival not far from Lake Balaton, held in small villages
Hegyalja festival
9-12 July, 2014 Tokaj – The most famous wine territory in Hungary, at the joining of the Tisza and Bodrog river at North East Hungary.
Volt Festival Sopron
1-5th of July 2014, Sopron
Debrecen flower carneval
Usually held in 20th August the celebration of the St Stephen and the new bread, usually half million people attend to the 220,000 city. They dress the 15-16 horse and carriage with approximately 3 million flowers, which shows themselves on Debrecen’s main street.
Buda castle wine and champagne festival
11-15th of September 2014
Szeged open air theatre
At Dom square, very popular usually 95% are the visitor rate, 50 000 attend every year this festival.
Musicals in the program:
4-5th July 2014 Zorba the Greek
11-12th of July 2014 the Csardaskiralyno
18,19,20 July 2014 Gone with the wind
August Hary Janos, Singing in the rain
Water, Music, Flowers festival Tata
Friday 27 June to Sunday 29 June 2014
Miskolc jelly festival
Csaba Beer and Knuckle festival
12-14 June 2014 Bekescsaba This popular gastro festival held in South-Eastern part of Hungary famous for its meat products
The day of the Hungarian Song
08th of September Several places around the country
Fridge festival
21-24th of November Budapest
Art market
Budapest 28th of Nov-1st Dec Budapest
