From tomorrow, the city’s most hidden summer festival, Kolorádó, will be attracting freedom-seeking crowds to a forest where Budapest and mother nature meet, half-an-hour from town by bus. An international line-up of acts shakes up the sylvan scenes with indie, R&B, trance and electronica from the UK, the US, Germany and Ghana. Abstract art installations also complement surreal theatre shows and meditative gatherings. Come out here for a day and a night – or bring your festival gear and hunker down at the Kolorádó campsite. The event runs until very late on Saturday night, very early on Sunday morning, June 16th-17th.

Between June 13th and 16th, the obscure woodland of nearby Nagykovácsi transforms into a cool chill zone for the Kolorádó Festival, welcoming revellers to fill the forest with good vibes. This relatively fresh-faced jamboree started in 2016 to inject new blood into Budapest’s summer-party scene. While Kolorádó was an immediate success and is getting bigger each year, the enlightening extravaganza has still managed to preserve its relaxed milieu.

As a teaser for 2018, Kolorádó released a mockumentary, a mini movie that presents a series of made-up interviews with festivalgoers, filmed as a real documentary. Festival Freaks features people with mysterious superpowers that embitter their life. This video is to highlight the core values of the festival – including feeling liberated, breaking down prejudice and better connection with nature – presented with more than a pinch of satire.

Meanwhile, manifold international names appear among this year’s festival performers, including Spanish indie-garage rock band Hinds, 82-year-old Ebo Taylor from the Ghana funk-and-jazz scene, and LA-based Kelela, a rapidly rising representative of electronic R&B. But then you can also shake it to club music by Swedish DJ Axel Boman or get high to techno tunes masterfully mixed by the UK’s Perc. Renowned and emerging Hungarian performers also feature.

As for other culture and visual arts, you can expect Dadaist opera, an emotionally charged visual installation, psychedelic dance and even an oxygen ceremony inspired by Asian breathing techniques. Between the events, festivalgoers can refuel at stalls offering home-style treats, street food and delicacies cooked up by acclaimed Budapest chefs.

There are many alternatives to reach the festival grounds from Budapest. The Kolorádó bus transfers revellers between the Hűvösvölgy tram terminal and the festival entrance. A one-way ticket costs 600 forints. Near the festival, a designated parking area is available for those arriving by car, while those coming by taxi have to stop there, and be shuttled right up to the entrance.

A one-day ticket to the festival costs 7,500 forints, a four-day pass at the gate is 17,500 forints.

Visit the Kolorádó website for more information.