Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Food Festival on the riverfront by the Technical University, below the
Gellért Hotel
for a
true fest of food and drink. A week later the official beer festival opens in the Vár.
city's big museums take part, opening their doors to visitors till late into the night with ex-
hibitions, concerts and shows. The 1500Ft ticket gets you into all the sights and covers bus
travel, as well - special bus services run till 2am.
Gay Pride
Mid-late June;
budapestpride.com
.
The largest event in the gay calendar, this
is a week-long celebration of gay and lesbian culture. The week culminates in a march along
Andrássy út, either to or from the Városliget.
AUGUST
Sziget Festival
Mid-Aug;
sziget.hu
. A stamina-sapping eight days long, Sziget is now
firmly established as one of Europe's biggest rock and pop festivals. Staged on Óbudai szi-
get, an island north of the centre, it features a stellar line-up of rock, pop and world music
acts, alongside dance, theatre, films and children's events.
FestivalofCrafts(MesterségekÜnnepe)
InthedaysleadinguptoAug20,theVáristaken
over by a huge festival of traditional crafts, accompanied by folk music and dancing.
St Stephen's Day
Aug 20. A public holiday in honour of Hungary's national saint and
founder, with day-long rites at his Basilica, and a spectacular fireworks display fired off
between the Erzsébet and Margit bridges at 9pm, watched by over a million people who line
the Danube; the traffic jam that follows is equally mind-blowing. Restaurants are packed
that night, so book well ahead if you want to eat out.
Jewish Summer Festival
End Aug;
jewishfestival.hu
.
Vibrant, week-long jamboree, at-
tracting an international range of classical, jazz and klezmer music performances, films and
exhibitions.
SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER
Budapest Wine Festival (Budapest Bor Fesztivál)
Early Sept;
winefestival.hu
.
The
country's top producers set out their wares on the terrace of the Royal Palace in the Castle
District: for the price of a day ticket you get unrestricted access, a glass and a glass holder.
Individual tasting tickets are available once inside.
Café Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival (Kortárs Művészeti Fesztivál)
Mid-Oct;
cafebudapestfest.hu
.
The old Budapest Autumn Festival has been rebranded, but it is still
strong on contemporary music and also features an excellent programme of film, dance and
photography.
Anniversary of the Arad Martyrs
Oct 6. Commemoration of the shooting of the thirteen
Hungarian generals in 1849 in Arad (Nagyvárad) in present-day Romania, when the 1848
