SopronFest 2024: experience live music and great food at iconic Hungarian festival

This year’s SopronFest will be held between 17-19 May, with warm-up events starting as early as 11 May. With vibrant cultural programmes in a beautiful historic town, in outdoor and indoor venues over an extended area in the city, the festival expects double the visitors it welcomed in 2023.

As Index reports, the festival is one of the longest in the country, with ten days of concerts, gastronomy events, live podcasts, and children’s entertainment.

From great music to exceptional food: what to expect from SopronFest

Starting on 12 May, festivities will kick off with the Don’t Stop The Queen tribute band. Lovers of jazz music will be able to enjoy the Budapest Ragtime Band and the Kollmann Gábor Quintet, while those who would like to immerse themselves in pop and rock music can get to know Hungarian artists like Bagossy Brothers Company, Dzsúdló, Majka, Beton. Hofi, Tankcsapda, Rúzsa Magdi, and perhaps the biggest star of the Hungarian music industry at the moment, Azahriah.

This year, SopronFest will also welcome international talents on stage. The German DJ Alle Farben will be sure to get the party going on 17 May, while the Dutch Kraak & Smaak trio will provide electronic beats on 19 May.

Besides music, the event also places great emphasis on providing a space for creators of contemporary fine art to share their works. On 12 May, a group exhibition will open in the Munkácsy Hall of the Liszt Center in the city. For those who seek culinary experiences: the festival also aims to let audiences meet well-known chefs and popular figures of Hungarian gastronomy at the most prestigious restaurants of Sopron.

The first three days of events, designated as the Sopron Beer days, also await those who are looking to taste a good brew. “We are very happy to participate in SopronFest again this year. For the second time, this event allows us to enjoy the charm and culture of Sopron alongside our consumers, which we consider to be close to our heart,” said Katalin Perényi, Marketing Director of HEINEKEN Hungária.

The organisers emphasise that their goal is to create a festival where both the citizens of Sopron, and tourists from other cities can have a good time.

“Without exaggeration, SopronFest is a new holiday in our city. For 10 days, the streets, squares, restaurants, cafes and clubs will be filled with life,” commented Mayor Ciprián Farkas, chief patron of SopronFest.

Views in Sopron and its area

As we wrote earlier, Sopron sits on the Hungarian-Austrian border and is one of the oldest towns in the country. It is renowned for its beautiful historic landmarks, such as the iconic Fire Tower and the wonderful vineyards, and the fine cuisine of the region. In the city, the Park Forest provides an opportunity to trek on the Witch Fairytale Trail, or climb the 21-meter-tall Károly Lookout Tower, to gaze upon the city, Lake Fertő, and the snowy peaks of the Rax and Schneeberg mountains.

While in the area, you might also visit the Esterházy Palace and its magnificent gardens in Fertőd, the “Hungarian Versailles” as it is often called for its baroque beauty, or the nearby Roman-era Fertőrákos Quarry, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Be sure to secure your discounted tickets until 13 March to experience this lively and colourful festival in Sopron!

See the whole program here in Hungarian: SopronFest 2024.

For other events in Hungary:

• Budapest Spring Festival to feature over 40 events! – READ HERE
• Budapest Museum of Fine Arts to show Hungarian-American photographic legacy, Mesopotamia, Munkácsy – READ HERE

Source: Index