Festivals, cool concerts, cultural events and amazing parties – Budapest is always buzzing. Every month, we bring together all of the important happenings taking place in and around Hungary’s capital, so you can plan ahead. In November, the Black Food Festival, Christmas markets and St. Martin's Day celebrations are all among the many exciting events you shouldn't miss. Whether you would like to shake it to the coolest beats, immerse yourself in culture or give in to guilty pleasures, we present a bunch of suggestions for the upcoming weeks. Get out there and enjoy everything that Budapest has to offer!
1/10
All Saints’ Day
On 1 November, Hungarian families pay a visit to the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried to adorn their gravesites with flowers and commemorative candles. As darkness descends upon the day, these gardens of remembrance fill with candlelight and solemnity all over the country. This first day of November is also a national holiday, when most shops and museums remain closed. To find out more about All Saints’ Day, read this article.
2/10
Black Food Festival
Coal-coloured cakes, cocktails, even cucumbers star at a new Budapest gastronomic gathering, as on 4 November, the Flow Specialty Coffee Bar hosts the city’s first Black Food Festival. Between 3pm and 9pm, guests can also sample sesame ice cream, lemonade, tacos and ramen soup – all black, of course. Admission costs 1,700 forints. See here for more details.
Between 5-11 November, Korean films are presented on the big screen at three Budapest movie theatres: the palatial Uránia, Art+ Cinema and the multiplex movie halls of the Sugár shopping centre on Örs Vezér tere. The films will be showing in original audio and with English and Hungarian subtitles. For more information about the festival, check out the event’s website (in Hungarian only).
4/10
Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Festival
Selective documentaries highlight war crimes, political oppression, press freedom, racism, sexual diversity and environmental issues at this thought-provoking annual film festival, taking place this year between 6 and 11 November. Verzió films screen at the Művész, Toldi, Kino Café and at Trafó. Tickets for each film cost 1,200 forints, passes sell at 6,000 forints and are valid for ten screenings. Verzió is a bilingual event with English and Hungarian translations. More details here.
5/10
Christmas markets
As the merriest season of the year approaches, Budapest squares dress up in festive lights and vendors set up stalls to offer Hungarian handmade items, spicy mulled wine and local dishes at the city’s Yuletide bazaars. You can visit Budapest’s biggest holiday-season fair at Vörösmarty tér from 9 November or watch special light shows projected onto the façade of St. Stephen’s Basilica at the Advent Feast on Szent István tér, where the Christmas market starts on 23 November.
6/10
St. Martin's Day
On 11 November, Hungarians commemorate St. Martin of Tours, one of the country’s patron saints. This occasion is marked by gastronomic gatherings nationwide, including Budapest. During the weeks around St. Martin’s Day, many restaurants offer a special menu focused on goose dishes, an age-old tradition associated with the event. Meanwhile, Buda’s historic Gellért Hotel hosts a grand indoor wine festival between 8 and 11 November, where a single wristband allows for unlimited sampling of tipples. To learn more about the St. Martin's Day traditions, read this article.
7/10
Suzanne Vega concert
To celebrate the anniversary of her famous album, Solitude Standing, cult singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega has been touring the world. On 11 November, she touches down in Budapest for a special show of her favourite tunes. The performer of Luka and 99.9F will be appearing on stage at the MOMSport centre At her home in New York, We Love Budapest spoke exclusively to the star before her upcoming appearance – read the whole feature here.
Having released her latest album Hunter in August, British singer-songwriter Anna Calvi gained exceptionally positive critical acclaim. Now she sets on a tour to showcase her LP, stopping in Budapest on 13 November, where she plays the A38, a cult concert venue and club set up on a repurposed Ukrainian cargo boat permanently anchored on the Danube. Visit the A38 website for more information.
9/10
Reel Rock Film Tour
As the 2018 edition of the international Reel Rock Film Tour hits Budapest, some of the most dramatic documentaries selected for this festival of mountaineering movies are being screened at the Budapest Corvin Cinema. Films show Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Adam Ondra and other legendary climbers pushing the boundaries before breathtaking backdrops from Antarctica to Jordan’s desert wilderness. This English-friendly festival runs on 15 and 16 November. Read more about the event in this article.
