The event to celebrate the founding of the state will take place in more than twenty venues and offer hundreds of different programs.
As in previous years, it is once again worth taking the time to discover the programs of the St. Stephen’s Day celebrations held in the Hungarian capital, where you can taste traditional Hungarian cuisine and enjoy the variety of cultural and musical performances. A fitting celebration of Hungary’s birthday with hundreds of programs and colorful performances at more than twenty venues awaiting the visitors.
Beyond the multitude of diverse experiences, the event is also an excellent opportunity to explore the city of Budapest and its historical heritage. Traditional state celebrations provide the backbone of the event: the program for 20 August will start with the ceremonial hoisting of the national flag and the official St. Stephen’s Day Ceremony, followed by the Hungarian Defence Forces Air Parade, the Festive Holy Mass and the Procession of the Holy Right Hand, with the fireworks show titled “The game of fire and lights” closing the day.
This year again, the iconic Golden Train, originally built in 1938, will be on display. A spectacular exhibition of 348 flags Hungarian towns, with installations of counties and 102 towns of Historic Hungary will be on display on the Promenade of Cities, while the Heroes' Path program series will introduce the iconic heroes of the Hungarian nation.
The organizers of the St. Stephen’s Day event have been counting on the lovers of Hungarian gastronomy this year as well: the Street of Hungarian Flavors will showcase the gastronomic culture of the Carpathian Basin, while the Csarda Festival presents the country’s most popular taverns.
The festive atmosphere will be underpinned by dozens of concerts. Fans of pop and rock music are welcome at the Retro Festival, while lovers of classical music can listen to their favorites at Panorama Classical in the Philosophers’ Garden. And for those with a taste for electronic and live music, the Szabadret Festival and the Road Movie Live offer a choice of programs. In addition to the traditional celebrations, an exciting new location will also debut in the lineup of programs: Vigado Piano, where the public will be able to enjoy bar pianists’ music.
The Fashion and Design Festival is also back, where visitors can meet the most prestigious Hungarian designers and take part in craft workshops.
For those with children, there is the Magic Grove in the City Park with its diverse programs, while folk culture fans can enjoy the long-standing Festival of Folk Arts.
Details and other useful information about the programs can be found on the Saint Stephen’s Day website (szentistvannap.hu) and in the official mobile application of the event series.