There are a lot of major events going on in October that you don’t want to miss: food fairs celebrating coffee, chimney cake, and whisky; all kinds of concerts; the Budapest Marathon, and much more. In this event roundup, we collect all of the important happenings taking place in Hungary’s capital during the upcoming weeks, so that you can plan ahead to attend whatever events are the most interesting for you. Get out there and enjoy everything that Budapest has to offer!
1/13
UH Fest
UH Fest, organized during October 2-9, is one of the rare events dedicated to adventurous modern music in Hungary. The festival puts a special emphasis on presenting unconventional approaches towards music and pinpointing individual national scenes, which are — more often than not — left uncovered by the domestic media and bypassed by the organizers of large-scale festivals. Not focusing on genres is a principle that is reflected in the event’s overall activity and programming. Any given member of the audience is likely to hear music that s/he did not “intend to” hear, and will explore something new.This year’s lineup features internationally acclaimed artists like Powell, Stara Rzeka, the Bug, Lotic, or Dwarfs Of East Agouza, who will perform at multiple locations, like Trafó and LÄRM. More details
2/13
Tesla Budapest (Closed)
Attention, caffeine addicts: International Coffee Day is celebrated for the fifth time in Budapest this autumn. This year, this tasteful event is happening at a new venue, in the building and garden of Tesla Budapest on Kazinczy Street in downtown District VII. Coffee vendors, micro roasters, workshops, lectures, screenings (including the film The Coffee Man), competitions, and all-day coffee tasting awaits all visitors on October 2nd. More details
3/13
Chimney Cake Festival
The fourth Kürtőskalács (“Chimney Cake”) Festival, happening during October 7-9 at Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park, will be once again showcase this classic Hungarian pastry, while presenting its original, traditional methods of preparation, preserving and promoting flavorful regional traditions. The festival will present various techniques of preparing chimney cakes, preparing them by baking them over hot coals or frying them in oil, making them in many sizes, and selling them in different flavors. The highlight of the festival is the great chimney cake bake-off, when participants from the public can learn how to make these amazing delicacies at home. More details
4/13
SPAR Budapest Marathon
Run past two World Heritage Sites before you cross the finish line during one of the biggest outdoor public sporting events in the Hungarian capital. On the first day of the event (October 8th), participants can warm up by running short distances ranging from 600 meters to 5 kilometers, followed by the long-distance challenges (10, 30, and 42 kilometers) on the second day (October 9th). Enjoy one last long run before the winter cold begins, which prevents you from jogging around Budapest in the sunshine. More details
5/13
CAFe Budapest
From contemporary classical music to contemporary circus to art exhibits, modern culture will again be highlighted in the Hungarian capital during the CAFe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival, to be held during October 7-23. During the wide-ranging performance series, which is realized in cooperation between Müpa Budapest and the Budapest Festival and Tourism Center, audiences can enjoy the work of outstanding Hungarian artists, along with global stars like Wintergatan, Squarepusher, Yann Tiersen, Cory Henry, or Hiromi. This year’s events highlight Polish art and artists, as well as the groundbreaking Hungarian maestro Béla Bartók, who was born 135 years ago. More details
6/13
Den Sorte Skole
With the Copenhagen sample-duo Den Sorte Skole on stage, there are no genres and no boundaries. This is musical storytelling across time and space. Armed with turntables, samplers, and audio-effect machines, they’ll take you on a dark journey on October 13th aboard the A38 Ship, drawing on everything from Moroccan traditional songs, indigenous tribal hymns, and field recordings of Cameroonian Pygmies to Himalayan reggae, French industrial noise, and German electronic music. Beautiful soundscapes, heavy beats, and everything in between! If one were to describe them by referring to other artists – an almost futile task – they come across sounding like a weird hybrid of the Gaslamp Killer, Modeselektor, Brian Eno, and Ananda Shankar. Don’t miss them! More details
7/13
Art Market Budapest
Central Europe’s premier showcase for contemporary art will be organized for the sixth time in 2016 during October 13-16, when Art Market Budapest presents thousands of works by some 500 artists in a labyrinthine display space covering almost 6,000 square meters of Millenáris Park’s expo facilities. The 100 exhibitors from 25 countries include all of the important galleries of Hungary. The section called Art Photo Budapest devotes an entire exhibition hall to photography, while sCULTURE – a spectacular outdoor display of statues among the buildings of Millenáris – adds another dimension to the special selection inside. There are around 50 affiliated events to accompany this fair, including book launches, performances, film screenings, and roundtable discussions; this year there will be a special focus on Polish contemporary art. More details
8/13
Swans concert
Swans, one of the most influential groups in the history of alternative music, is coming to an end; at least in terms of their current incarnation. Last summer, the band’s founder Michael Gira announced that “The Glowing Man” – which they are currently performing songs from on tour – will be their last album. Since their return in 2007, the band kept releasing outstanding records which are unrivaled in the precision of recording (as well as the work of the musicians), energy that they bring with them, and the level of noise that is raised, especially during the concerts. Not to mention that their performances are already going into history as not only the loudest, but as well as the longest ones – they’ll perform for about two hours in Budapest on October 21st aboard the A38 Ship. More details
9/13
“A House in Asia” drama
Through its trademark language (scale models, video projections, video editing in real time, and live performers), the Spanish theater company Agrupación Señor Serrano presents a scenic Western at Trafó on October 21st and 22nd. In “A House in Asia”, reality and its copies are mixed, drawing a merciless pop portrait of the decade following 9/11, the violent seed for the 21st century. The largest manhunt in history is represented by a sheriff obsessed with a white whale. Copies, reflections, imitations, and cheeseburgers. A surreal performance taking on serious issues. More details
10/13
Pig Slaughtering Sausage Festival
Get a taste of traditional Hungarian sausage at this meaty feast happening during October 21-23 amid the sprawling parkland of the Hungarian Railway Museum in Budapest’s District XIV. Here visitors can discover many of the country’s long-standing culinary customs, while devouring delicious meals accompanied by local pálinkas and beers. During the daytime family programs, sausage-making, and a grand presentation of vintage automobiles and motorcycles all awaits guests on the ten-hectare event space. There’ll also be a lot of bands that will perform throughout the three-day event. More details
11/13
Public Holiday – observance of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956
This national holiday on October 23rd commemorates the 1956 Revolution against the Soviet occupation of Hungary, featuring political speeches and military processions at Kossuth Lajos Square, as well as a number of cultural programs organized around the historical day. Learn the history of 1956 in this article, and read the story of an eyewitness who recalls the day when the revolution broke out. On this day – the 60th anniversary of the uprising – you are free to see the Holy Crown in the Parliament, and there will be film screenings at the Corvin and Tabán cinemas, as well as a family day at the Museum Of Military History. More details
12/13
The Cure concert
On October 27th, the Cure will return to Budapest, after more than a decade of not embarking on a major tour – and at Papp László Sportaréna, Robert Smith and his band will explore 37 years of their songs, mixing hits, rarities, favorites, and as-yet-unreleased tracks in a brand-new stage production. From the post punkish/new waveish songs of the ’70s to the gothic rock of the ’80s and mainstream hits like “Friday I'm In Love” or “Just Like Heaven”, you’ll hear all of the important songs of a band that still continues to influence generations of musicians. Before them, the Twilight Sad will perform, who have already mastered many flavors of brooding and bittersweet, from their folky debut album “Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters” to the hard-edged electronica of “No One Can Ever Know”. More details
13/13
Whisky Show 2016
The Whisky Show, Hungary’s version of the globally popular whisky expos, will take place for the sixth time this year, with the Corinthia Hotel Budapest hosting the event during October 28-29. Visitors can sample some 100 different whiskies over the two days of the festival. While an unparalleled number of whisky brands will participate in this year’s event, other top-quality spirits will also be available, including various kinds of rum, cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, and even Hungary’s own pálinka. More details
