20th August: Beer, wine, food to be cheap during the Szent István Day in Budapest
The price of drinks and food will be considerably lower than today’s average at the Szent István Nap venues. The program will be organized between August 18 and August 21 in 11 places in Budapest, based on a letter sent by the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) to turizmus.com.
According to turizmus.com, consumer prices this year will equal the 2021 prices. That means you can buy canned and draft beers for only 350 HUF (0.87 EUR) in downtown Budapest. One of the most famous Hungarian quality beers, the IPA, will cost only 400 HUF (1 EUR) during the 4-day-long event.
The Hungarian Tourism Agency said in their letter that it was their strategic decision to provide food and drinks for last year’s price during the Szent István Day events. The organizers want the program to be affordable for everybody. The official partners of the program will have a prominently displayed badge, the MTÜ added.
They selected their partners considering the quality and variety of their products and their logistics background. MTÜ said in their letter that they expect millions of visitors during the 4-day-long program.
Organizers want the Szent István Day to be affordable for everybody. Photo: FB
One of their partners is the famous Hungarian beer manufacturer, the Borsodi Sörgyárak Ltd. They will offer draft and canned beers for the visitors. Coca-Cola Magyarország will have mineral water and refreshers on their repertoire.
Thanks to the Hilltop winery, there will be a wide range of quality wines, while Kunságszesz Zrt. will offer traditional Hungarian pálinka.
Hungary celebrates its “birthday” on August 20. The Roman-Catholic church canonized the first Hungarian Christian king, Stephen I (1000-1038), on August 20, 1083. Therefore, Hungarians celebrate the birth of their nation and state on August 20 every year. The event culminates in magnificent fireworks. However, this year many suggested the money spent on the show should be redirected to ease the hardships caused by the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine. One of them was the mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, but the government refused to accept such demands.
Below you can check out the price list of the different products during Szent István Day (August 18-21):
| Product | Gross price |
| Mineral water | 190 HUF |
| Refreshers | 350 HUF |
| Cola | 290 HUF |
| Fuze Tea | 350 HUF |
| Cappy | 350 HUF |
| Burn | 350 HUF |
| Borsodi beer (can) | 350 HUF |
| Flavoured beer (can) | 400 HUF |
| Draft Borsodi beer | 350 HUF |
| Draft IPA beer | 400 HUF |
| Wine dl | 200 HUF |
| Soda dl | 90 HUF |
| Irsai pálinka | 690 HUF |
| Szilva pálinka | 590 HUF |
| Bitters | 450 HUF |
Source: turizmus.com, MTÜ
1 Comment
As the Roman poet Juvenal (Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis – circa 60-circa 140) summarized in Satire X;
[Populus] qui dabat olim
imperium, fasces, legiones, omnia, nunc se
continet atque duas tantum res anxius optat,
panem et circenses.
translation:
[The people] which formerly gave military power, high offices, legions, all, now contains itself, and eagerly desires two things only—bread and circus games.