Popular Balaton festival is no more: contract expiry threatens future

The Balaton Sound festival, a paradise for electronic music lovers, was held for the 16th time in Zamárdi, Hungary this year. According to the organisers, the festival saw 100,000 visitors by Saturday, a number that appears modest compared to previous years.

Rumours about the festival’s future started circulating on the last day of the four-day event, with some suggesting this might be the last Balaton Sound in Zamárdi, Sonline reports. Vendors at the festival told some attendees that 2024 would be the final year for the popular festival. In a now-deleted Instagram video, influencer Pumped Gabo, who rose to fame through the festival, tearfully mentioned that there would be no more festivals at the “Hungarian Sea”.

Photo: facebook.com/BalatonSound

At the same time, Telex has also been informed that the 2024 Balaton Sound festival was the last one. This is most likely why the organisers have not even started to schedule next year’s lineup.

The last Balaton Sound

Photo: facebook.com/BalatonSound

The festival’s press chief, Viktória Vető, previously commented that they were aware of the rumours but didn’t want to address them, stating the topic was not on their agenda. When asked again after the event, the response remained the same. However, it was understood that during the latest town council meeting, which included festival organisers,

it was clearly stated that this year’s event was the last.

Zamárdi’s mayor, Gyula Csákovics, confirmed that their contract with the organisers, which allowed the festival to be held until 2024, had expired, making this the last Balaton Sound under the current agreement. He added that any new contracts would need to be discussed by the newly formed council. The contract with the municipality was structured based on the results of a public opinion poll conducted last year.

New festival in Zamárdi?

The organisers, Sziget Plc., requested to hold the festival later and paid an additional HUF 20 million on top of the agreed HUF 150 million to the town. This extra funding was used to re-asphalt a street affected by the event.

Speculation about the festival’s future also appeared on online forums, with some claiming that the Cluj-Napoca-based Untold festival might move to Zamárdi next year. However, Mayor Csákovics stated that the municipality had not received any such proposal.

About the festival

Source: facebook.com/BalatonSound

Balaton Sound is one of Europe’s largest and most popular electronic music festivals, held annually in the picturesque town of Zamárdi. Established in 2007, the festival quickly gained a reputation for its stunning lakeside location on the shores of Lake Balaton, vibrant atmosphere, and an impressive lineup of international DJs and artists.

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