EDITOR’S NOTE: For a complete guide to this weekend’s St. Stephen’s Day celebrations on August 20th, check out the article below:Friday
10am - 11pm: Festival Of Folk Arts at the Buda Castle Handmade jewelry, wooden musical instruments, colorful pottery, soft fabrics, and sturdy furniture fills the open spaces of the Buda Castle between August 18-21 for this traditional festival that celebrates Hungarian folk art in historic settings. In 2016, the main focus of the 30th Festival of Folk Arts is on playing, in the broadest sense possible. The culture of folk toys (with the help of toy makers) will be presented, and traditional games and artistic performances will also be part of the program. The joy of playing will also be part of the festival’s entertainment program, which includes traditional concerts and folk dancing.
3pm - 3am: KRAFT Artisanal Beer Festival at Főzdepark As a collaboration between four local breweries – MONYO Brewing Co., Mad Scientist, Horizont Sörök, and HopTop Brewery – we can now visit
Főzdepark: a unique brewery park in the heart of an industrial area. That needs to be celebrated! At this inaugural festival, you can enjoy the best artisanal beers that the breweries have to offer, eat a juicy burger or some barbecue, and participate in guided tours. 5pm - 10pm:
Friday at A38 at A38 Ship
White Russian.
Mojito.
Long Island Iced Tea.
Sex On The Beach.
Gin and Tonic. These are just a few of our favorites that always help us to start the weekend in a really good mood. You pay for one and get two, while the Bladerunnaz DJs play their favorite liquid funk and drum-and-bass records. A soft warmup for what is coming in the forthcoming three nights and two days. Sunshine, chill times, good music, good people – all on the Danube.
10pm - 4am: DFA Records Tribute Party Volume 2 at BEAT ON THE BRAT DFA, aka Death From Above, is a crossover-dance-rock-avantgarde label founded by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, Tim Goldsworthy, and mutual friend Jonathan Galkin. Since 2001, the trio has released albums with the Juan Maclean, the Rapture, Hercules & Love Affair, Joakim, Daniel Avery, Prinzhorn Dance School, and Holy Ghost! – just to name a few collaborating artists. So get ready for a real house party, as the Daft Punk will be playing at BOTB!
11pm - 5am: Next Level Presents Ekali & Creaky Jackals at A38 Ship Although he is no newcomer to the music world, Ekali started making electronic music only in 2014, and since then he has been making big waves in the electronic community; from his visceral, captivating original work and collaborations, to his thundering club remixes. Having only been producing for just under a year, Ekali was accepted as Canada's sole participant in the Red Bull Music Academy in 2014. Since then, he’s gone on to receive millions of plays, tour internationally, and received a writing credit on Drake’s “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late”. His unique sound has earned him a loyal following worldwide, and cemented him as one of electronic music’s most promising artists – so don’t miss him!Saturday
10am - 11pm: POOL&BEER Live at Vituki Beach Music from “dawn” until late night, thermal water, the sauna, street food, ice-cold beer on tap, football – that’s our recipe for endless summer, and fortunately POOL&BEER has the same taste.
Add a few live performances from bands and producers like Volkova Sisters, Uffalo Steez, Dope Calypso, and Barbara Stahl, and then mix in some outstanding DJ sets from Nora Matisse or Karanyi, and you know what you get: the best day of the warmest season.
4pm - 4pm: Contra Mundum Presents Around The Clock at Corvin Club If you ever heard about Contra Mundum or their party series Around The Clock, then you should know exactly where to go on August 20th. If their names sound still unfamiliar to you, then here are the basics: the biggest independent underground ceremony with the Hungary’s finest, completed with the brand’s beloved international guests, reflecting on the wide range of techno and house genre. The gates open in the afternoon and close on the afternoon of the next day. Hungarian flava’ without boundaries! Taste it!
5pm - 11pm: Jazz 0820 at MüPa – Palace Of ArtsThe now traditional season-opening concert cavalcade of Jazz 0820 promises a richer musical experience than ever before. On the anniversary of the foundation of the Hungarian state, performers who embrace the most noble and popular jazz traditions appear as usual before audiences beginning at 5pm, both on the riverfront Open-Air Main Stage and inside in the Banner Square and Glass Hall. Moreover, on this occasion not two but three bands will take to the outside stage: Kálmán Oláh Jr. Quartet, Bopcorn & 3 Generations of the Trombone, and Police Big Band will be performing there – the latter will start playing from 8pm until the celebratory fireworks, before continuing afterwards in front of the terrace of the Ludwig Museum, to the delight of those in the mood for a dance. At Banner Square, be sure to catch the concerts of Áron Tálas Trio and Márió Rafael Trio. Best of all, the entire program is free!
6.30pm - 9.30pm: Dinner and fireworks at Hotel President Budapest Hotel President invites everyone to their panoramic Intermezzo Roof Terrace for a special buffet dinner enhanced with live music and fascinating fireworks to celebrate Hungary’s national holiday on August 20th, which marks the day of the country’s foundation under the reign of St. Stephen, commemorated with day-long festivities nationwide.
10pm - 5am:
A38 Night/Life & Loop Presents Philipp Straub, Detective Kelly, Klokk & Legars at A38 ShipPhilipp Straub, aka DJ Felipe, is one of the leading heads of electronic music in Austria for more then 20 years, and he is also a successful DJ and producer, with lots of fans around the globe.
He is the founder of Titan International, one of the leading booking agencies in Central Europe, responsible for many shows with international headlining artists in different countries.
Philipp also launched a club-event series called Essence that brought many international names to Vienna, such as Sven Väth, Richie Hawtin, and Felix da Housecat, to name just a few. Beside all this, he deejayed more then 2,000 gigs in nearly 30 countries, and still continues to perform live – for example, in Hungary on this special night.
Sunday
11am and 6pm: Billy Elliott – The Musical closing performances at the Hungarian State OperaIt’s not too late to get tickets to the final performances of the Hungarian production of Billy Elliott – The Musical, based on the hit film and staged at Budapest’s historic Opera House, featuring English subtitles. Created as a collaboration between Sir Elton John, the filmmakers, and top Hungarian theatrical talents, the show portrays a heartwarming tale of an 11-year-old boy who falls in love with ballet in a hardscrabble British mining town. 7pm - 10pm: NIGHTDRIVE Lite at PONTOON Cocktails, funk, cabrio-lifestyle, house, barefoot DJs, palm trees, hammocks, and Miami vibes spreading over the Danube: the two DJs (Lil Sag and Utah) will welcome the neon-colored sunset over Budapest.
8pm - 11pm: Ghost Bath, Pozvakowski, Svoid at Dürer KertThe North Dakota-based black-metal band Ghost Bath has been building considerable buzz since way back in early 2015, when their particular brand of anthemic, melodic, shoegaze-y black metal was still riding the post-Deafheaven wave of popularity. And if you are a fan of them, or bands like Woods Of Desolation, this is a show that you shouldn’t miss – also because of the two outstanding Hungarian bands opening for them!
