The Scottish gentleman
Having acquired the Hungarian language in just under a year, the British Ambassador to Hungary, Iain Lindsay OBE, leads a laid-back local lifestyle. Regularly going for walks in the Buda Hills, visiting farmer's markets, reading We Love Budapest and, when time allows, hanging out at music festivals, Mr Lindsay is one of the coolest ambassadors Hungary has ever seen. So it was hardly any surprise for us to run into him at Sziget – as there was no place he would rather have been. The ambassador has visited the festival each of the last two years, invariably wishing he could stay for the whole week. Always cheerful, kind and easy-going, Mr Lindsay did not mind answering a few questions in this video. Find out the one thing he would highlight about the festival, his favourite musical acts, an attraction he thinks is well worth a visit and what he did on Wednesday...
The glamorous Israeli duo
As first-time Sziget revellers, Tomer and Shir quickly picked up the festival style. Tomer’s green-coloured hair and Shir’s flowery headband hint that the Israeli duo are trying to make the most of their few days’ stay at Budapest’s biggest bash. “Actually it was Shir’s idea to come to the festival,” says Tomer. “We heard about similar events, but rumour has it that Sziget is the greatest of all in Europe. People are also very nice here,” he adds, but Shir challenges this last sentence. “No, it’s not the people that make the difference, it’s the atmosphere”, she says. “There is something different, the vibe that makes everyone feel free,” she explains, adding that she can’t wait to see Dua Lipa on stage. It’s not only the couple’s first time at Sziget, but also in Budapest: “We visited Buda Castle, saw Parliament and we also went to Szimpla Kert. But we will have two more days after the festival to discover the city. Hopefully we can do it without Tomer’s green hair”.
The local lassies
“It’s just incredible here,” sayLiza and Sára, two Hungarian friends who have hit Sziget for the first time, only to (almost) go the whole nine yards and rock out every single day and night. At one point, however, they popped back home to get a break from festival madness.“So many things have happened to us before that have been out of the ordinary,” they continue. “It’s also exciting to see the mix of nationalities out here”. But what inspires the girls even more is to catch the highly anticipated headliners, including Arctic Monkeys, Bastille and Kygo. They even developed what they call a ritual: “We make sure to get a lot of these drinks with crushed ice”. As to what they think about dining alternatives and prices, they believe that they’re a bit higher than usual but, “it’s a festival that is so well organised we don’t mind paying a little extra for food and drinks”.
The Italian boys
Regular Szitizens Marco, Matteo, Stefano, Nidal and Piteco from Italy love Sziget Festival so much that they try to return every year. Back home, they keep convincing their friends to come along, too. When we ran into them, the boys seemed to have had an absolute blast the night before, proven by appreciative pats on the back and many cheeky winks. In their eyes, Sziget Festival is unique in the world for there is so much to do and see, and while any festival offers a great musical line-up, what you get at Sziget is a life experience you'll never forget. “For a week, you leave your regular routine behind and start a whole new life in a different reality, sharing an island with thousands of people. This is something special that everyone has to experience.”
The boys highlighted that they find Hungarians very friendly and gentle, and they try to interact with the local crowd as much as possible.“But we are always sorry to hear that each year, Sziget is getting less and less affordable for locals to do a whole week.” When not partying wildly, the boys like discovering Budapest’s thermal baths and landmarks like Buda Castle or the Citadel, and come back for visits even after Sziget ends. As for the music, their most anticipated act was TheWar on Drugs. And if they could change one thing about the festival, they would definitely make it longer. “We would love a month-long Sziget – or at least ten days please!”
The Dutch party veteran
Rick is no novice when it comes to festivals. Since 2009, he has been a returning Szitizen at Sziget, which he considers one of Europe’s best jamborees, and more enchanting than the many in his home country. “I believe what makes a big difference is the atmosphere,” he explains.“And beer prices are also lower than at festivals in the Netherlands. It always feels good to come back here.” When asked about Sziget’s evolution, he outlines the fact that rules were less strict and the whole festival was certainly cheaper nine years ago. “But now there are also more details added to enhance the ambiance,” he highlights. And his craziest moment at the festival? “A few years ago, during a drinking game, we agreed to be in charge for awhile of distributing papers by the toilets. We told everyone that toilet papers are very expensive in Hungary, so we could only provide four sheets per person. Then a guy arrived struggling with diarrhoea,” he adds with a nasty smile on his face. The rest is history.
