Hungary prepares for Europe’s largest fireworks display on 20 August in Budapest – Here are the details
More spectacular than ever is the promise from officials regarding the fireworks display on 20 August in Budapest. Hungary will celebrate the founding of the state by St Stephen five days later, with many anticipating “Europe’s largest fireworks”. Despite potential costs exceeding last year’s record, the Orbán administration remains committed to providing affordable beer and festivities, even amid significant state budget deficits.
Spectacular fireworks on 20 August in Budapest
According to a statement from the event’s organisers shared by turizmus.com, the 20 August fireworks on the River Danube in Budapest will be more spectacular than ever and the grandest in Europe. The organisers are set to use a range of pyrotechnic elements, including fireworks mortars, grapeshot, Roman candles, Greek fire, spark fountains, and flame effects.
Photo: FB/Saint Stephen’s Day
Concerning numbers, there will be 29,000 pyrotechnic products, approximately 500 launch points, nine river barges, and 65 pontoons. The Liberty, Elizabeth, and Margaret Bridges will all feature in the display. Over 45,000 individual pyrotechnic effects will be included, with the spectacle stretching 5 kilometres between the Petőfi Bridge and Margaret Island. Additionally, a drone show with light projections is planned.
Photo: FB/Budapest Airport
The organisers promised that guests will enjoy a nearly identical visual experience regardless of where they stand in the 5-kilometre-long spectacle area.
Drone show, light show, old shepherd
The drone show will feature 1,300 unmanned aerial vehicles depicting significant symbols of Hungarian history. A well-known traditional Hungarian folk character, “the old shepherd”, will narrate the story, covering the Miracle Deer, Attila the Hun, Prince Csaba, the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin, and King St Stephen, founder of the Christian, medieval Hungarian Kingdom.
Photo: FB/Saint Stephen’s Day
The show’s music will feature works by Hungary’s well-known composers like Ferenc Liszt and Zoltán Kodály.
Photo: FB/Saint Stephen’s Day
High costs expected
Details on the costs have not been disclosed by the organisers. However, index.hu reported in July that expenses are expected to exceed those of 2023. This year’s total costs for the St Stephen’s Day festivities might surpass HUF 15 billion (EUR 38 million), which likely includes the cost of the affordable beer mentioned in THIS article.
In 2023, the fireworks alone cost HUF 1.4 billion, with an additional HUF 10 billion required for the overall festivities. In 2022, the total expenditure was around HUF 10.3 billion. Several Hungarian cities chose not to hold 20 August fireworks in 2023 to save costs.
Hungary’s state budget is grappling with numerous challenges. Industrial output is declining while consumption remains low, resulting in tax revenues falling short of projections. Additionally, Hungary has not received EUR 20 billion in EU funding due to rule-of-law concerns, which may explain the country’s recent borrowing from China.
Read also:
- Will fireworks be banned in the city centre of Budapest? – read about a January opposition initiative in THIS article
- PHOTOS, VIDEOS: The 20 August 2023 air show and fireworks in Budapest
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13 Comments
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
What a waste of money and disgusting amount of pollution, both noise and hazardous chemicals. You’d think that these days there would be more sustainable way to celebrate than spreading polluting chemicals and making explosive noises. Please ditch the old school fireworks and focus on drones and lights and music.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
“waste of money”? You must not be a Hungarian. Im not. But what I saw last year left me in tears.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
The hungarian government does no have money but still they are spending and wasting huge amount of money on this. It is not a free event! Everyone is paying with the taxes this. But whatever, it doesn’t matter if Hungary goes bankrupt, people still supports thia corrupted government
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Can’t wait! Hungary has a lot to celebrate, as proven by so many of us who could go anywhere in the world to live and work but we choose to stay here. Why? Because it’s safe and affordable, the food is incomparable, men are still men, and women are still women.
It’ll be great to take the load off for a day, forget the daily life, and enjoy the spectacle.
As far as the cost, I wonder how it compares to the money sank into the bicycle-related nonsense all over town: the special stop lights, the creation and painting and delimiting the special tracks, the increased journey times for drivers, etc. And all for, like, the five cyclists per day that use it.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
“Give them bread and circuses, and they’ll never revolt”
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
PRIORITIZATION – as thousands Patients, Medical Staff from Surgeons down, those employed in Public Hospitals, visiting Families & friends to “in-patients” – as THEY swelter in non-airconditioned 19th century in great part, our Public Hospitals throughout Budapest, Hungary – and we are promoting “Europe’s largest fireworks display” on the 20th August.
Orban, his Fidesz Government, the Districts, there councils, there Mayors – that have PAID out and into this SHOW, just APPALLING.
Hungary, this is just ANOTHER example of the Self-Destruction of our DOING, we are bringing upon our country Hungary – that Financially and Economically is in CHAOS.
Moronic and Stupid PRIORITATIONAL Human Behaviour.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I C Rome: panem et circenses.
XXI C Orbánistan: pálinka and fireworks.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Steiner Michael – the “placement” of 3.1 million Hungarians living in POVERTY, the “doings” of the Political Party of your Membership – Fidesz, led by, the current Prime Minister of Hungary – Victor Mihaly. Orban and you commentate – lets CELEBRATE.
Hungarians, in our adoration of St. Stephen look at him, as our King.
St. Stephen had Christian principles not only out of expediency, he became a Christian like his Father – Prince Geza but of a greater importance, out of his personal conviction.
St. Stephen did everything to reinforce the Christian culture in accordance with his personal values, his worldview.
In Hungary, this also meant Economic development, and a need to build on relationships, with people and country’s around us.
Hungary’s survival as people as a country, depended on this great Christian visioned decision of St. Stephen.
St. Stephen wanted Hungarians to join the great family of the Christian peoples of Europe.
Steiner Michael – you do not live a life, that nears, what St. Stephen’s set in place for Hungary, being a Hungarian.
Fidesz, under the “un-righteous” leadership of Victor Mihaly. Orban, the entirety of his Fidesz Government, there CREED, what they have effected over 15 years as the Government of Hungary, have they carried out practiced the ideology of St. Stephens ?
They in “ungodly” ways, have Not.
Is the Orban – Fidesz Government, the place of destruction, through the WRATH rightly being enforced on them by countless “former” relationships, that places us as a country in a PERILOUS place – is this NOT through there Under-taking – being totally Hypocritical – INSULTING – to the ideology of St. Stephen ?
Answer : YES.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
It leaves me in tears when I think of my relative (and other people) suffering in public hospital heat. Quite a few AC-units could have been funded with the public money now being used on fireworks for a short show that can only be seen by those living in the capital or being able to travel there and back for the “free” show. Enjoy your polluting and expensive show paid also from my taxes.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
in recent days they have also turned off the lights of the Parliament Building to save on energy bills.
We did somersaults jumping from one subway station to another to see the beautiful building lit up.
Nothing.
Only our tears.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Mike Steiner of 41 cities who travels the world and understands…. we bow to you and your knowledge, your profound wisdom… more PAKS and Putin. Park the bikes, unpaint the paths and just have a little boom boom boom. Hey who cares the cost. As you point out do brilliantly all is cheap in Hungary.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Listen. I understand the economy in Hungary is bad. But were talking about Hungarian Pride. You cant put a price on that.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hello @andrewbalogh – yes, you can put a price on it!
For the calculation, I am using a six (6) percent rate for ten (10) years … Not an unreasonable number:
https://www.investing.com/rates-bonds/hungary-10-year-bond-yield
I entered EUR 38 million (to save on zeros needed for HUF) with an annual repayment schedule (optimistic assumption, since Hungary will, again, have to borrow to pay interest or make the annual principal payments, but there you go).
Over 10 years and with an annual repayment schedule (see caveat above), the principal amount of EUR 38 million comes out at a whopping EUR 51.63 million (due to interest at EUR 13.63 million). I would say – once a year – BOOM! #blowthecashwedonthave
https://www3.wolframalpha.com/input?i=loan+calculator&assumption=%7B%22C%22%2C+%22loan+calculator%22%7D+-%3E+%7B%22Formula%22%2C+%22dflt%22%7D&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22SimpleLoan%22%2C+%22LP%22%7D+-%3E%2210+yr%22&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22SimpleLoan%22%2C+%22LA%22%7D+-%3E%22EUR+38000000%22&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22SimpleLoan%22%2C+%22APR%22%7D+-%3E%226%25%22&assumption=%22FSelect%22+-%3E+%7B%7B%22SimpleLoan%22%7D%2C+%22dflt%22%7D&assumption=%7B%22FP%22%2C+%22SimpleLoan%22%2C+%22PI%22%7D+-%3E+%22Annual%22&lang=en
WITHOUT the annual repayments – you guessed it – the eventual interest will be … Astronomical.