Events Horizon: what’s happening in Budapest – August 2017

Fröccs and Lángos Festival

If you would like to indulge in a hedonistic Hungarian feast, head to the second Fröccs and Lángos Festival happening during August 4-6, which will surely not let you down. Succulent lángos – a classic Hungarian treat of deep-fried dough with a crispy exterior and soft middle, topped with various goods like garlic butter, sour cream, and shredded cheese – awaits everyone at the festival, and in addition to this popular handheld meal, bellies can also be filled with glasses of frosty fröccs. Furthermore, plenty of exciting programs like horse and greyhound races, kid’s programs, a fair, and a mini exhibit entertain guests at Kincsem Park for three days. More details

Night of the Elizabeth Lookout Tower

Thanks to its height of 526 meters, the top of János Hill is the highest point of the city, topped with the Elizabeth Lookout Tower – built in 1910 – which provides a breathtaking panorama over Budapest. As August is the month of shooting stars, on Saturday nights the lookout tower operates with longer opening hours, awaiting its guests late into the night with illuminated views, meteor showers, and atmospheric music. Kilátó Café entertains guests with live music and a grill terrace, while an electronic minibus is also available between 8pm – 00:02am from Normafa. More details (in Hungarian)

Picnics on the Liberty Bridge

One of Budapest’s most picturesque spans, the Liberty Bridge, will be closed to traffic again during August 5-6 and 12-13, encouraging everyone to occupy this super-central space full of all kinds of cool programs. As happened earlier this summer, the bridge will once again be the venue of heartwarming scenes: rowdy kids roaming between tram tracks, friends sharing glasses of wine and fine bites, amateur musicians filling the air with acoustic tunes, and couples cuddling under the velvet sky. Come join these special picnics on the bridge, aiming to make the Danube more involved in the lives of Budapest’s residents. More details

Pretty Woman at the Budapest Rooftop Cinema

Watching a film cuddled up under the starry skies is an unmissable event on a sweet summer night in Budapest. Fortunately, the Budapest Rooftop Cinema series has our back, as they screen many motion pictures above the city on top of Corvin Club several times this summer. On August 6th, movie maniacs can enjoy an all-time classic, Pretty Woman, while having Budapest at their feet, watching as an unlikely pair, Edward and Vivian, fall hard for each other, forming a bridge between their utterly different worlds. More details

FINA Masters Championships

Following July’s main event of the FINA water-sports championships, the FINA World Masters Championships brings together past Olympic champions, regional medalists, participants of former FINA competitions, and top-class amateurs of various aquatic sports, as impressive athletes aged 25 and above compete between August 7th and 20th. Furthermore, senior athletes who retired from professional sports come from different corners of the world in numbers that exceed the participation figures of Olympic Games. The championships is held biennially, with competitions in five FINA disciplines: swimming, diving, water polo, open-water swimming, and synchronized swimming. More details

Sziget Festival

Revelers from all around the globe flock to Budapest’s “Island of Freedom” every year in August for one of Europe’s biggest alfresco musical extravaganzas, the Sziget Festival. International superstars and up-and-coming local performers of all genres give each other the stage at this weeklong good-time gathering – held between August 9-16 – while various cultural programs and artful acts can also be enjoyed on Budapest’s Óbuda Island, the happiest hub of psychedelic settings and chill zones. This year’s most anticipated artists are Pink, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Major Lazer, Wiz Khalifa, Bad Religion, PJ Harvey, Alex Clare, Tom Odell, Kasabian, the Chainsmokers, and many other major music artists. The Sziget Festival annually provides an experience that you will never forget; well, at least not entirely… More details

Festival of Folk Arts

Unique handmade pieces of jewelry, wooden musical instruments, ornate pottery, fine fabrics, fashion accessories, and many interesting Magyar-made craft items are all available for purchase amid a truly historical setting, the Buda Castle, during this festival celebrating Hungarian folk arts, held during August 17-20. This year’s festival focuses on colorful and creative Hungarian embroidery, one of the richest and most varied branches of folk arts. Workshops reveal the techniques of the embroidery of raw materials, motifs, as well as stitching techniques, enabling everyone to adorn any materials with wonderful patterns. More details

Vodka Festival

Budapest closes the summer with a spectacular party at Millenáris, as the first ever Vodka Festival is held in the Hungarian capital between August 19-20. Altogether almost 40 kinds of vodkas, cocktails, two stages, exciting programs, and a truly challenging vodka labyrinth await everyone at this two-day festival. Popular local bands step on stage to fill the massive space with music, while international and Hungarian DJs also spin discs until late at night. Don’t miss out on Budapest’s first Vodka Festival! More details (in Hungarian)

Public Holiday – observance of Saint Stephen’s Day and the Foundation of Hungary

August 20th is a national holiday in Hungary, when the country honors its founding king, St. Stephen – who was crowned in AD 1000 – with fantastic festivities and spectacular fireworks. Solemn ceremonies and open-air performances are held on this special day nationwide, but the biggest St. Stephen’s Day blowout is always held in Budapest, where fantastic fireworks light up the night above the Danube soon after sunset. In the morning, a flag-rising commemoration is held at the Parliament, while religious rituals are observed at the St. Stephen’s Basilica in the afternoon, and a ceremony of cutting Hungary’s birthday cake is also held during this all-encompassing fiesta of Magyar patriotism. See the best spots for watching the fireworks – which begin blasting soon after sunset over the Danube – here.

Budapest Short International Film Festival

Between August 29th and September 3rd, the annual Budapest Short International Film Festival provides a showcase for young aspiring artists of the short-film world to prove their talent in the international scene. A selection of mini movies – 17 animation, 9 experimental, 49 fiction films, and 17 Hungarian short films – are screened in their original language and with English subtitles at various venues during the festival. Furthermore, the organizers annually invite filmmakers and important figures of the Eastern and Central European audiovisual sector to offer these communities a platform to meet and flourish professionally together. Take a look at this year’s program here. More details