Festive Shine
Celebrate with us one of the loveliest times of the year! Just like the months of the European Capital of Culture year so far, the weeks ahead are full of unforgettable experiences and exciting activities.
We've had a brilliant year full of music, art, literature, culture and community experiences, and the last part of the year will be no different: concerts, crafts and design fairs, a snow tube track, the aroma of chimney cakes and mulled wine, traditional Christmas games and last but not least a grand street party to dance our way into another splendid year together. Choose a programme and enjoy the festive spirit!
Night and day snow tube fun at Winter Gyárkert
Although the popular Gyárkert Culture Park has been quiet for a while, buzz returns in December when bands return to the site. From the second weekend of December, a winter wonderland sets in, where you can hop on a snowtube and slide down one of the five trails even when the weather's too mild. Skaters can do laps on the ice rink in skates of their own or borrowed, but you can simply take a stroll through the charming winter park, enjoying hot drinks, roasted chestnuts, chimney cakes and a range of other delicacies. Admission to the Gyárkert area is free; tickets for snowtubing and the ice rink are available on site.
If you're looking for a unique gift, Portéka - Crafts and Design Fair is just the place to go.
On 9th and 10th December at ActiCity, you can choose from dozens of exhibitors' products to find the most exclusive Christmas gifts. From lavender soaps to fashion items made from recycled materials and rugs for pets to handcrafted jewellery, you're sure to find everything on your Christmas wish list. The handcrafted and artisan goods will be accompanied by demonstrations and baking, an eco-friendly festive wreath-making workshop and much more. If you fancy going to the market before or after the fair sipping on a cup of mulled wine, Old Town Market is also open on Advent weekends in Elisabeth Grove, a few minutes' walk from ActiCity.
Special experiences in the city of music
Music lovers can enjoy jazz concerts in the winter at Papírkutya Culture Bistro, just off Old Town Square, but there will also be plenty of large-scale musical events. The Fructus Labiorum Classical Music Festival, which begins on the first weekend of Advent, features Budapest Bach Consort, the world-famous brass band His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts and Tenebrae Ensemble, who come all the way from the UK, and Tempvs Fvgit, a vocal ensemble that will dazzle audiences with songs in the ancient Corsican polyphonic tradition, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site. On 5th December, the legacy of the composer György Ligeti will be explored by outstanding artists from the Hungarian jazz world in a major Ligeti 100 concert at ActiCity, featuring ensembles such as the Modern Art Orchestra, the Ligeti Ensemble and the Miklós Lukács Trio. And for a genuine gospel experience, head to Veszprém Arena on 11th December, where the Virginia State Gospel Chorale perform at Gospel Christmas.
From puppet dancing nativity to contemporary art
A must-have element of Christmas atmosphere is the revival of festive folk traditions: you can join the Christkindl Spiel, a centuries-old tradition of the Bakony villages, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, in Városlőd between 15th and 18th December. On 16th and 17th December you can watch the puppet dancing nativity scenes in Hollád, Litér and Veszprém. If you want to spend your winter days in the company of works of art, the exhibition Troubled Waters, which reflects on the ecological relationship between Lake Balaton and the Balaton Uplands and was conceived as part of the Balatorium project, is on show at House of Arts Veszprém until 31st December. Art by Imre Bukta and his friends can also be seen in the Castle Gallery at the exhibition entitled Blue Lake Balaton, Vöröstó 'Red Lake' a village name), where works inspired by the Vöröstó Artists' Camp and Open University will be on display. At Laczkó Dezső Museum you can explore the Egry 140 exhibition with guided Advent tours, while at Agora there is a gingerbread baking event and family craft activities to help you get ready for Christmas.
The city will definitely shine from Christmas to New Year's Eve!
At ActiCity, music and dance take centre stage between the two holidays. The Hot Jazz Band on 27th December, István Pál and his Band on 28th December, a fantastic ABBA Tribute Show on 29th December, and Stefánia Allstars on 30th December are warm-ups to the New Year's Eve party. On 31st December, you can sing and dance together at an all-day year-end street party. From 2pm, the terraces of the Old Town Square open, inviting young and old alike for a musical stroll with mulled wine. And in the evening, the city's leading DJs take turns to put together a big musical mix to celebrate the glorious months behind and the New Year ahead with electrifying tunes.
