With leaves falling and nights drawing in, Budapest’s many music venues, galleries and museums are staging a whole range of events for autumn. Here we pick out 25 highlights, from observing deer in the forest to pagan celebrations for Halloween.
Check before you go
At the
time of publication, the information was correct, but we also include links
wherever possible to check if events are going ahead. Given the possible
uncertainty of pandemic restrictions in October or November, always verify
before you head out.
1/25
Deer tours
Through September, the authorities at Pilis Park Forest,
the vast areas of greenery surrounding Budapest, organise tours at five separate locations, including Budakeszi Wildlife Park, Szentendre and Gödöllő,
for visitors to hear the roaring and rutting of deer in season. All tours start
at 5.30pm. See the exact schedule here – it’s in Hungarian but the dates and
times are easy to follow.
2/25
Humen Festival
This September, Humen Magazine is
organising its now-traditional autumn cultural LGBTQ festival for the sixth time. A film week and an exhibition dedicated to the history of
LGBTQ in Hungary and Central Europe are scheduled until 24 September, and the
programme also includes contemporary dance and gastronomic events.
3/25
Budapest Park
Between 15 and 19 September, key
alfresco music venue Budapest Park is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a
mini-festival. Xtra Feszt features
concerts by Tiknekedkányány and Carson Coma, Jamie Winchester, Follow The Flow,
Vad Fruttik and Supernem, culminating in a show by Pöttömkert.
4/25
Eleven Ősz
Art classes, music shows and gastronomic delicacies
await as part of the Eleven Ősz festival on Buda’s trendy Bartók Béla út between 17 and 19 September. The event unites the
many nearby galleries, cultural and culinary destinations. Look out for the Limitless
Kinetics exhibition and Figaró the Magician showing a few alluring tricks.
5/25
Winelovers 100
In the grand surroundings of the Corinthia Hotel
Budapest, Winelovers 100 showcases the 100 best wines of last year. On 18
September, more than 100 exhibitors, pop-up performers and exclusive tastings
await wine lovers. The renowned Vylyan, Hilltop and Pannonhalmi labels will all
be featured.
6/25
Budapest Classics Film Marathon
The annual Budapest Classics Film Marathon takes
place between 21 and 26 September. You’ll be able to
see 70 newly restored classic films in five themed series at several venues in
the capital, including in front of St Stephen's Basilica. Most
screenings should be English-friendly. For this year’s gala
opening, there will be a selection of Lumière films from 1896, an animated
documentary about A táncz, plus a digitally remastered
version of Sándor Korda’s 1918 film Az
aranyember. As part of
the hommage section, the festival commemorates revered
actress Mari Törőcsik, who died recently, as well as mark the
centenary of the birth of famed filmmaker Miklós Jancsó.
7/25
Zoos & wildlife parks
With the weather still nice, why not take the kids out
at the weekend to one of Budapest’s many wildlife parks,
where the little ones can stroke and feed the animals. Along with the main city
zoo, with
its plethora of creatures and scheduled feeding times, there’s a pony retreat,
even an alpaca farm.
8/25
Anoushka Shankar
Anoushka Shankar is one of
the contemporary masters of Hindustani classical music who also dips into the
world of Indian artpop. Daughter of Ravi Shankar, half-sister to Norah Jones,
this sitar maestro returns to Müpa for the second time on 23 September. For this show, she has composed a new film
score to the epic Indian silent film, Shiraz from 1928, which deals with the
romantic history of the Taj Mahal.
9/25
Budapest Wine Festival
Now celebrating its 30th anniversary,
the Budapest Wine Festival take place at Buda Castle between 23-26 September.
In these historic, panoramic surroundings, you can meet producers from every
Hungarian wine region, sample a variety of gastronomic dishes and enjoy live
music in several genres – Hungarian Jazz Day is also incorporated as part
of the event. This year’s special guest region is Somló, to be represented by
12 wineries.
10/25
Researchers’ Night
Researchers’ Night is a free series of events being held across
Europe to promote careers in science and research. On 24 and 25 September, you
can get a glimpse into the secrets of different fields. Through informative lectures,
experiments, laboratory visits and additional entertaining activities, potential
inventors of all ages can learn about many of the new advances in scientific
research.
11/25
BikeJam Festival
At Nagykovácsi just
outside Budapest, the BikeJam Festival involves three days of
tours and competitions, with live shows every evening, between 24 and 26 September. Bands include Bohemian Betyars, Ivan & The
Parazol, Mark & Jason (Mörk) and Amber Smith. The green, hilly setting is
ideal for those who want to exercise and relax at the same time.
12/25
World Press Photo
The annual World
Press Photo is
one of the most prestigious events
of its kind. Thousands enter the competition, then hundreds of thousands
view the travelling exhibition.
In 2021, 4,315 photographers from 130 countries submitted 74,470 photos. In all, 151 images in this exhibition
were selected by an international
jury of 17 reporters and editors in a total of eight categories, including environment,
nature and sport, and bestowed prizes on 45 photojournalists from 28 countries. This year in Budapest, the
World Press Photo runs from 24 September until 31 October, and is accompanied
by the jubilee exhibition of the Sibiu
Workshop, where you can find the works of 15 Hungarian photographers.
13/25
Budapest Autumn Festival
More cutting-edge than its spring counterpart, Budapest
Autumn Festival runs from 26
September to 10 October, and will feature contemporary music, theatre and dance
performances, exhibitions, city walks, literary events, workshops and markets. Highlights
include a vintage photo exhibition by communal archive Fortepan.
14/25
Budapest Retro Interactive Museum
Recently opened in downtown Budapest, this English-friendly attraction and imaginative family-friendly activity showcases the everyday world of Hungary in the late 1980s, shortly before the fall of Communism. There are buttons to press, phones to talk into, little doors to open and TV shows to watch. Hungarian speakers can even read out the news and earn themselves an Outstanding Comrade certificate when answering the quiz. Bags of fun and authentic with it.
15/25
Vintage clothes shopping
Let’s face it, every new season requires new clothes,
but it doesn’t necessarily have to mean off the peg. In fact, to help protect
the environment, we should all be focusing on secondhand fashion. You can
refresh your wardrobe from the Ludovika VNTG Shop,
the Szputnyik Shop, LoveBug Vintage,
Typo Showroom and Humana Vintage
Boutique, among
others. Seasonal fairs such as the Vintage Outfit Market also offer plenty of fancy secondhand clothes.
16/25
Open Brewery Day
On Open Brewery Day, the date moved to 2 October, Hungarian small-batch
producers open their doors to showcase their beers and their activities to the
general public. All kinds of activities, tours, snacks, samplings and shopping offers
await, as well as the chance to see how these brews are made. Visits are free.
17/25
Art Market Budapest
Established in 2011, Art Market Budapest is the leading art fair in Central and Eastern
Europe, providing a whole range of challenging work to anyone interested in
international contemporary art. From 7-10 October, Bálna Budapest hosts
exhibitors from over 40 countries, showcasing galleries and art projects from
mainly emerging regions.
18/25
Children’s Railway
Connecting some of the loveliest spots in the Buda hills,
the Children’s Railway (Gyermekvasút) is one of Budapest’s most unique attractions. It’s even more inviting in autumn as the leaves turn shades of red and the view becomes spectacular. The
line runs from Széchenyi Hill to Hűvösvölgy, crossing with the Cogwheel
Railway and serving Normafa and János Hill. The lookout
points, forest playgrounds, places of pilgrimage and other hilly attractions
lie close to stations, making the Children’s Railway the ideal jumping-off
point for a day’s outing.
Combining it with the Chairlift at János Hill, it’s ideal for a romantic couple's day out as well. Tickets (HUF 800 cash only)
are sold at stations.
19/25
Budapest Design Week
Budapest Design Week aims to
present design as an innovative tool that harmoniously combines functionality
with user and social needs. This series of events from 8 to 17 October will
include activities both for the public, such as exhibitions, outlet visits and
events, and for professionals, such as round-table discussions, presentations,
conferences, galas and webinars.
20/25
Liszt Fest International Cultural Festival
Musical rarities, premieres, legendary ensembles and young talent will all feature at the inaugural Liszt Fest International Cultural Festival from 8 to 24 October. In addition to classical music concerts, opera and dance performances, industry conferences, organ recitals and contemporary music evenings are also programmed, along with jazz, world and light music, literary and fine arts shows at numerous venues from Esztergom Basilica to the Svábhegy Observatory.
21/25
Gerhard Richter
Few artists still with us have lived
through the kind of experiences as encountered by Gerhard Richter, whose
retrospective Truth in Semblance is the main exhibition at the Hungarian National Gallery this autumn. Growing
up in Nazi Germany, working in design in East Germany before defecting to the
West, Richter deals with themes of freedom, attachment
and detachment, blurring reality and projected appearance. The show runs until 14 November.
22/25
Dog Critical Mass
Critical Mass in a non-profit organisation whose
rallies allow locals to reclaim Budapest. The annual Critical Mass for cyclists
involves shutting down half the city – for this event, it’s dogs. From St Stephen’s Basilica to Heroes’ Square, the second
annual Dog Critical Mass parade takes place on 9 October. The event aims to draw the decision-makers’ attention
to the importance of adapting the capital for canines, as half a million dogs
live in town and need more space.
23/25
Budapest Central European Fashion Week
For this annual event held between 11-17 October at Bálna Budapest, Hungarian and regional designers
can showcase their 2022 spring-summer collections. Up-and-coming costumiers will
also be in the spotlight, together with the Young Talent Programme.
25/25
Halloween
Introduced relatively recently to Hungary, this annual
festival of ghosts and pumpkins is now celebrated with parties across town,
both for kids and clubbers. Look out in case the Aquincum Museum is holding another
of its fabulous Samhain celebrations, involving pagan rites and Celtic tradition. Funny costumes
and make-up are otherwise the order of the day elsewhere.
