SUMMERTIME FOR FESTIVALS IN VESZPRÉM AND AT LAKE BALATON

This year it is for the 30th time that the biggest multidisciplinary arts festival of Hungary is held, from 23rd July to 3rd August. In addition to popular music concerts, more emphasis is placed now on literary, theatre, folk music, classical music and fine art programmes. Encouraged by the success of previous years, organizers will also launch more cycling and hiking tours than ever before.

Classical music moves to the lakeshore. Balaton beaches, parks, groves and arbours are yet again being filled with classical melodies, as it is for the seventh time this year that pianist Tamás Érdi gathers excellent artists around him for the Klassz a pARTon (WatARTfront) Festival. Besides the permanent venues in Balatonalmádi, Balatonkenese, Tihany, Balatonfüred and Keszthely, musicians are now intent to bring the love of classical music to smaller settlements like Dörgicse, Vászoly and Gyenesdiás. 

In addition to puppet theatre performances, organizers welcome the interested public to a wide range of games on Friday, 30th July. This programme is designed to be a genuine outdoor game with physical skills exercises and brain teasers, a comedian and of course a lot of laughter!

The annually held Auer Festival is a tribute to world-famous Veszprém-born violinist and music teacher Leopold Auer. In 2021 concerts take place from 3rd to 8th August.

The festival of serenity will be there for you this year, too, in 9 villages of the Kál Basin from 4th to 7th August – with everything provided for cultivated entertainment. The series of KŐFESZT events will feature a number of village venues, with literary programmes, concerts, exhibitions and roundtable talks. The programmes of the festival are designed to connect villages and build up topics in timelines. Folklore is the focus of the multidisciplinary festival, but visitors are also welcome to the wealth of popular music, theatre and literary  programmes it has to offer.

In addition to superstar Tom Jones, a string of Hungarian favourites perform at this year’s  VeszprémFest from 17th to 21st August. História Kert (Gardens) will among others welcome  János ʻJames’ Karácsony and János Solti with their show Zenevonat, Jazz+Az, Ferenc Snétberger with Roby Lakatos and Cotton Club Singers in the gardens of the Jesuit church. 

The location of Rose, Riesling and Jazz Days is octagonal-shaped Old Town Square in the heart of Veszprém. Surrounded by historic buildings, the previous marketplace is an ideal venue for a 10-day mini-festival, the introductory “wine village” for the wineries of the Balaton wine region and the stage for Hungarian performers. 

There is no question that the Veszprémi Utcazene Fesztivál (Veszprém Street Music Festival) is the biggest annual celebration of the summer. According to the organizers, the accurate list of performers will be revealed in early August; however, we already know for sure that the usual talent show is set to take place, where 20 fresh and crisp Hungarian bands will compete for the favour of the jury and the audience as well as the 2.000.000 HUF main prize! 

For 23 years now, the festival has been a competitive meeting point for contemporary dance in Veszprém. From the beginning, it has attracted the related arts, thus emphasising the interconnectedness and shared responsibilities of art branches (music, photography, cinematography and lighting techniques) and bringing international dance groups to the spotlight. The festival takes place from 1 to 5 September with exciting side events. Under the Sports Day, the dance groups for circus arts, acrobatic sports theatre and other dances will parade in the Veszprém Aréna. 

The Municipality of Balatonfüred in collaboration with European Capital of Culture Veszprém-Balaton 2023 will organise the poetic festival hallmarked by the name of Salvatore Quasimodo in 2021 as well.