There are a lot of major events going on in October that you don’t want to miss: Ennio Morricone concert, Chimney Cake Festival, Budapest’s edition of Oktoberfest, and more. In this event roundup, we collect all of the important happenings taking place in Hungary’s capital during the upcoming weeks, so that you can plan ahead to attend whatever events are the most interesting for you. Get out there and enjoy everything that Budapest has to offer!
Oktoberfest Budapest
The Hungarian edition of the world’s biggest brew festival, Oktoberfest, is happening during October 5-8 at the city’s biggest horse track. Exciting horse and greyhound races entertain bibulous crowds on Kincsem Park’s grounds, while in covered tents guests can enjoy a gluttonous Bavarian-style blowout. Here, barrels of beer, savory sausages, grilled chicken, roasted pork trotters, Bavarian mini sausages and pretzels, and other meaty morsels, while lovely barmaids serving customers in low-cut costumes await everyone. Taste countless kinds of spectacular suds from Hungarian and international breweries, and “yodelayheehoo” along with live music all night at Budapest’s own Oktoberfest. Tickets are available for purchase on the event’s website and occasionally on the spot, but they quickly run out, so it’s recommended to buy passes in advance, which include free bus transfers between the M2 metro station of Stadionok and the festival grounds. More details (in Hungarian)
Budapest Design Week
From October 6th through the 15th, Budapest turns into a gigantic showroom of Magyar-made fashion, furniture, artworks, architecture, and much more, all on display at various venues citywide, ranging from major museums to hidden ateliers. A total of 150 exciting programs await art aficionados at the fall’s biggest design festival, from exhibition openings, to kid’s programs and workshops to all kinds of creative get-togethers. One of the most popular programs each year is when various art studios hold open days, letting guests take a glimpse into the tips and tricks of making their products. See the full list of participating studios here. More details
CAFe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival
A wide variety of cutting-edge performances – like concerts of various genres, contemporary-circus shows, visual art exhibitions, opera and theater shows, and dance productions – are presented along with photography displays and countless other aesthetic attractions during Budapest’s annual cross-disciplinary arts festival, CAFe Budapest. This year’s festival – held during October 6-22 – focuses on the work of Magyar maestro Béla Bartók, as well as the art and artists of Israel and Jewish culture. Exciting events will be held at such spectacular venues like the Palace of Arts, the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, the Várkert Bazaar, the Vigadó, and at downtown locations like the Budapest Music Center, Akvárium Klub, and Bálna Budapest. More details and full program.
Chimney Cake Festival
The fall’s most aromatic food festival honors Hungary’s traditional sugar-dusted pastry, chimney cake, during October 7-9. The festival presents the various methods of preparing chimney cake from baking them over hot coals to frying them in oil, while the highlight of this food fiesta is the great chimney cake bake-off, during which the public can learn how to make these amazing delicacies at home from a super-secret recipe. This year, the festival moves from its central location to District XII’s Gesztenyés Kert, where in addition to the sweet seductions available in various sizes and flavors, live concerts by local performers entertain crowds. More details
Art Market Budapest
Central Europe’s premier showcase for contemporary art is held from October 12th through the 15th in a labyrinthine display space covering almost 6,000 square meters at Millenáris Park. Countless exhibitors from 35 countries come together to showcase and sell a vast collection of contemporary artworks, like impressive paintings, sculptures, installations, and photographs. This year, Art Market Budapest defines a new cultural region: young Europe, where new artistic inspirations and a truly contemporary approach to visual arts are in the focus. Furthermore, an entire section and exhibition hall will be dedicated to the ever-evolving art of photography, providing a platform for one of the biggest international photo fairs in Central Europe, while several affiliated events like performances, guided tours, and concerts await guests at Art Market Budapest. More details
Pig Slaughter and Sausage Festival
Annually in October, carnivorous crowds gather at the sprawling parkland of the Hungarian Railway Museum in Budapest’s District XIV to immerse in the countryside tradition of high-spirited pig-slaughtering, and to discover the country’s long-standing culinary customs. Visitors can devour delicious meals accompanied by Hungarian pálinka brandy and beers, as well as enjoy family programs, folklore shows, musical performances, and presentations amid the sprawling event space. During this year’s festival – happening between October 13 and 15 – buses transport visitors back and forth between Nyugati Railway Station and the Railway Museum free of charge. More details
32nd Spar Budapest Marathon
Join one of Budapest’s biggest outdoor jogging events, the Spar Budapest Marathon, with various competitions held on October 14th and 15th. On the first day of this running frenzy, joggers can warm up by completing short distances ranging from 400 meters to five kilometers, while those in better physical condition can count kilometers up to ten, 30, or even 42 on the second day. Don’t miss out on one last running gathering before winter comes, passing by the city’s most scenic settings like Andrássy Avenue and the Chain Bridge with hundreds of other enthusiastic runners. More details
Whisky Show 2017
The seventh Whisky Show Budapest – happening between October 14-15 – boasts an unparalleled selection of world-famous brands, including everything from blended and malt Scotch whisky to Irish and American versions, as well as more exotic concoctions from Canada, Japan, and other parts of the world. During the Whisky Show Budapest, visitors can try endless glasses of whisky neat or on the rocks amid an elegant atmosphere, as well as enjoy lectures by both local and international experts. The show awaits all public visitors on the first day, October 14th, while on the second day programs are more focused on professionals.
Ennio Morricone: “60 Years of Music Tour”
Italian composer and conductor Ennio Morricone is a true living legend; he has composed over 500 scores for cinema and television, as well as over 100 absolute music works, and is one of only two film composers in history to have received an honorary Academy Award for his lifetime achievement. As part of a large-scale world tour which began in January 2016 to mark his 60-year anniversary as a professional composer, Morricone fills Papp László Budapest SportArena with marvelous melodies on October 18th. Up to this point in the tour, the prodigious maestro performed for over 150,000 audience members in 22 European cities, and received standing ovations and overwhelming critical acclaim. More details
Public Holiday – observance of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
On October 23rd, Hungarians commemorate the 1956 Revolution against Soviet occupation over the country with an official flag-raising ceremony, political speeches, and military processions on Kossuth Lajos Square by the Parliament, as well as with a number of cultural programs held nationwide. On this day, the House of Terror Museum and the Parliament grant free admission to visitors all day, and nostalgic streetcars travel on the line of tram 6, with newsboys aboard shouting out news from during the revolution at the stops. More details are available here, and you can learn more about Hungary’s 1956 Freedom Fight here.
