Budapest to host Europe’s biggest firework show: Important information about 20 August

The official celebrations commemorating the founding of the state and the “St Stephen’s Day – God Bless Hungary” („Szent István Nap – Isten éltessen Magyarország!”) series of events will end with the largest and most spectacular fireworks display in Europe on 20 August.

20 August, celebrating the founding of the state

The series of events celebrating the founding of the state on St. Stephen’s Day will close with Europe’s largest fireworks display on the evening of 20 August, origo.hu reports. According to the news portal, the fireworks display, which will start at 9 PM, will be accompanied by music, narration, building painting, drone games and a light show. Along the Buda and Pest quays, approximately 40,000 pyrotechnic effects will make up the entire show, covering a length of 4.5 kilometres.

According to preliminary news, 50 pyrotechnicians will install the fireworks on 7 barges, 65 pontoons and on the Elisabeth Bridge and the Liberty Bridge. Nearly 100 more people will work to ensure that all the barges and rafts are in place and remain there during the launches.

This year’s spectacle will stretch from Margaret Bridge to Petőfi Bridge over the Danube, a distance of about 4.5 km, to give people a full experience from the shore. There will also be a drone show, presented by a total of 800 drones from two locations, while the story will be rounded off with visuals projected onto the Parliament, the National Gallery (Nemzeti Galéria) and Gellért Hill.

Szent István Nap – Isten éltessen Magyarország!

In addition to the official state celebrations, the festival “Saint Stephen’s Day – God Save Hungary” will be held in Budapest on 19-20-21 August. One of the aims of the series of events is to introduce the attractions of the country’s capital to domestic travellers in rural Hungary.

The festival’s more than a dozen venues, which are free to visit, are designed to appeal to people interested in classical and popular music, history, gastronomy and fashion.

Venues of the festival:

• Szabadrét Fesztivál – Erzsébet Square
• Csárdafesztivál – Vörösmarty Square
• Vigadó Piano – Vigadó Square
• Varázsliget – Városliget/City Park
• Divat&Design Fesztivál – Millenáris
• Panorama Classical – Filozófusok kertje (Garden of Philosophers)
• Hősök útja – Tóth Árpád sétány
• Mesterségek Ünnepe – Budai vár (Buda Castle)
• Magyar Ízek utcája – Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar)
• Retro Fesztivál – Tabán
• Aranyvonat kiállítás – Alkotmány Street
• Városok sétánya – Alkotmány Street
• Road Movie koncert – Műegyetem quay