Breaking – Sziget Festival Budapest returns in 2026, ticket sale starts this week!

After some disputes within the capital, the situation has been clarified, and in August 2026, Central Europe’s largest and one of the world’s most significant events, the Sziget Festival, will reopen its gates at the usual venue, Hajógyári Island. Ticket sales will start soon, but registration is already open!

Europe’s largest festival is back in Hungarian hands. The Sziget will be organised for 2026 by the same management and team, under the strategic leadership of the original founder, Károly Gerendai. This opens the way for the Sziget to strengthen its unique identity and original values as an independent festival, making it stand out even more on the international stage. The organisers announced that next year’s Sziget Festival is planned for 11-15 August 2026.

One of the founders to organise the festival

Following positive support from city factions, the long-term site lease issue was resolved. An agreement was reached for Károly Gerendai to take over Sziget Zrt., the company operating the festival, from London-based Superstruct Entertainment. Gerendai said: “The ownership structure of Sziget Zrt. will continue to evolve in the coming weeks, as negotiations are underway with major subcontractors and partners who will help finance the Sziget Festival alongside management. Budapest Park will be the first to join as a professional investor, and we will definitely work closely with them.”

Tamás Kádár, CEO of the company, sees Gerendai’s return as a major milestone: “The Sziget can remain one of Europe’s most important festivals, preserving the values it has stood for over three decades, while reinforcing the special appeal that places it in a different league in the European festival market. Karcsi’s comeback and the professional collaboration he wants to instigate will provide fresh momentum with the unique vision that shaped Sziget’s first 25 years,” Kádár said.

Although Gerendai stepped back from festival life eight years ago, he has followed the market from a distance and returns with firm strategic ideas. He counts on the current management and experts at the company to help realise these plans and aims to involve new expertise. “Renewal benefits greatly from external opinions—professionals who look at the festival market from different perspectives,” Gerendai explained, highlighting Budapest Park’s decade of professional experience as a key asset.

Cooperation with Budapest Park

András Pálffy, founder of Budapest Park, commented: “Our cooperation with Sziget is based on shared values. Both brands maintain their autonomy but leverage operational and professional synergies that can stabilise and future-proof Hungary’s festival market. We want Sziget to be a source of pride not just for its iconic past but for its sustainable future.”

Gerendai believes the key to long-term success lies in emphasising Sziget’s uniqueness and values, enhancing its cultural imprint, and maximising synergies between Budapest and the festival. “I don’t want Sziget to be locked into an age-specific niche. While our strongest audience remains today’s youth in Hungary and abroad, it is also important to engage older visitors,” he added. “Our goal is to organise a festival everyone loves, one that is unique even on the international market, with renewed energy,” said the festival’s returning owner.

They start to sell tickets this week

Finally, Kádár revealed: “We plan to hold Sziget from 11-15 August 2026, so you can already mark it in your calendar. With obstacles now cleared, ticket sales will begin within days with a 48-hour discounted offer. The exclusive early-bird festival pass sale, at last year’s prices, starts at noon on 7 November, and registration for this opens on 5 November at the official website of the festival.”

Read also:

• What is going to happen to Sziget Festival? Who could be able to save it?
• Budapest’s Sziget Festival faces extinction unless new investor is found urgently

Click to read more articles concerning festivals in Hungary.