Shows, concerts and cultural attractions – Budapest is always buzzing. Each week, we gather all of the important happenings taking place in our favourite city so you can plan ahead.
Friday, 29 September
101 x ODA Grill Party
ODA is a top-notch pizza spot in one of Buda's most charming old houses up the hill. On September 28th, they are teaming up with modern Taiwanese eatery 101Bistro to throw a grill party to remember. The menu will include delicacies for vegans and meat lovers alike, all dishes to be washed down with coriander - Thai Basil soda, beer, or prosecco. Kids and dogs are welcome.
More details here.
UNICEF Pop-Up Store & More – Charity Wardrobe Sale
Shopping has never felt this good: at this wardrobe sale, you can buy clothes for a good cause. The charity event of UNICEF Hungary awaits you with quality and branded pieces and fair prices between 29-30 September (10 am-6 pm). The whole profit will be donated to Világszép Alapítvány, an organisation striving to improve the lives of traumatised children.
The entry fee is HUF 3,000 (redeemable), get a ticket here (Hungarian-only).
The Dan Daw Show (UK)
What's it like living with a disability and being queer? The Dan Daw Show explores this topic with brutal honesty: it showcases care, intimacy, and resilience. Taking ownership of the beautiful mess that encompasses all that he is, Dan lets go of who he once was to make room for who he wants to be. He takes back the power by being dominated on his own terms. On the stage, Dan is joined by performer and collaborator Christopher Owen (Joe Moran, Scottish Dance Theatre).
More details here.
Forbidden Fruit Gin&Tonic Night
Embark on an extraordinary journey where art, music, and drink specialities synergize in harmony at one of the city's coolest art salons LAVOR! The 'Forbidden Fruit' exhibition celebrates its Finissage with a special event, where you can admire art pieces about blooming love, and celebrated male and female bodies with a cocktail in hand and a DJ set in the background.
Get tickets here.
Saturday, 30 September
Rooftop Yoga – Weekend Flow
Practice vinyasa with a view: on a rooftop overlooking the stunning City Park, including the striped hot air balloon flying up and down! This Saturday, you can join the closing event of Yoga Brunch's outdoor season and enjoy a 70-minute flow, basking in the last rays of sunshine. And if you are lucky with the weather (fingers crossed), you can even plunge into the rooftop pool.
More details here.
Board Game Day on Víg utca
Víg utca (a street behind the market hall on Rákóczi tér) is transforming into a car-free zone, a proper pedestrians' paradise. And on Saturday, a board game club is popping up, welcoming anyone for a round or two. Don't think Monopoly at a dingy underground bar! This event (2 pm - 8 pm) is about new-wave games, including several English-language ones, played alfresco. Come with a group of friends, your bestie, or alone, you will find something that suits you. An onsite team (wearing T-shirts with a rabbit) will help you with recommendations and explanations. And if you feel peckish, pop into the vegan gastropub Szabad next door.
More details here (Hungarian-only).
Szaletly Wine Garden
Curious about Hungarian wine? Join this culinary experience close to the City Park and sample wines from 8 exceptional wineries! Hosted in the charming garden of one of our favourite Hungarian restaurants, Szaletly, this wine-tasting event offers a delightful selection of vinos. And that's not all – you can also have authentic Hungarian pálinka (shot) for you to savour, along with hearty, mouthwatering food options.
Grill Party on the Car-free Quay
And here is another event for foodies, only in a different part of town: the car-free Quay in downtown Budapest, which has undoubtedly been the most unique hot spot of the summer. Luckily, we can enjoy a carefree walk here until 23 October, along with pop-up events. This Saturday (4 pm - 10 pm), for instance, you can just follow your nose and enter a proper grill party. Enjoy food (donation-based), or bring some to share, grab a drink, make new friends, and sign up for a table tennis contest!
More details here (Hungarian-only).
Elvis Costello (UK)
Elvis Costello is a member of the singer-songwriter elite. He has been active since the second half of the 1970s and has worked with such stars as Count Basie, Paul McCartney, and Burt Bacharach. He already performed solo in Hungary in 2014, and now, he is returning to Müpa, joined by his most faithful companion, keyboardist Steve Nieve. Nieve has been his partner for over forty-five years, and on 30 September, they are performing magnificent songs with enriched instrumentation.
Get tickets here.
Sunday, 1 October
Community Run for Breast Cancer Awareness
Dedicate 1 October to health, support, friends, family and yourself! This Sunday, you can join the community run for breast cancer awareness, organised by Hard Rock Cafe, AVON, and iRUNmore. All levels and ages are welcome, you can pick a preferred track and pace, the main goal is to move together. The race kicks off at 11 am.
More details here (Hungarian-only).
Hola Budapest! – Spanish-Hungarian Festival
On the last weekend of September (30 September-1 October), Budapest gets its fair share of Spanish music, dances, gastronomy, art, and culture as a Spanish-Hungarian Festival is landing at the Palace Quarter. You can learn to make tapas at a workshop (at the Culinary Institute of Europe) and enjoy a contemporary dance performance, photo exhibition, flamenco, gastro-cultural history event, and the concert of Spanish singer Luz Casal (joined by Hungarian artist Eszter Váczi).
More details here.
28th International Book Festival Budapest
Attention, book lovers: four days of readings, book signings, literary evenings, book premieres, round table discussions, and exhibitions await at the upcoming International Book Festival Budapest. From 28 September to 1 October (3 pm - 7 pm), outstanding representatives of world literature and domestic intellectual life gather at the Millenáris. You can even meet the popular American science fiction writer John Scalzi as he is the guest of honour this year. Children can enjoy various activities at a dedicated section called Gyerek(b)irodalom (Children’s Lit Kingdom).
All programs at the exhibition are free of charge, more details here.
Four souls of Coyote
Watch the highly-praised Hungarian animation, Four Souls of Coyote on the big screen at the Kino Café cinema! The film is billed as an epic adventure tale of the Native American creation myth: through a unique retelling of the creation of the universe, it highlights the increasingly pressing need to live in harmony with the environment, before it is too late.
The film is screened with original audio and English subtitles. Get tickets on the Hungarian website or on the spot.
