Budapest’s Sziget Festival earns prestigious European award

Sziget Festival has earned international acclaim again for championing social causes. For the second year running, after 2024, the event won in the Take a Stand category at the European Festival Awards gala in Groningen, Netherlands, on Wednesday.

This marked the 15th edition of the awards, which honour festivals’ societal initiatives promoting peaceful dialogue, humanity, tolerance, and mutual understanding, as Sziget press chief Vető Viktória told the Hungarian News Agency Thursday.

Out of 14 categories for 2025 events, Swiss Paléo Festival Nyon took Best Major Festival, Slovakia’s Pohoda nabbed Best Medium-Sized, and Dutch Dynamo Metalfest won Best Small Festival. Lowlands (Netherlands) claimed Best Line-Up, with winners selected by a Europe-wide jury of experts.

“Sziget has stood for acceptance, tolerance, inclusion, and personal freedom since day one,” said main organiser Tamás Kádár. “Festivals aren’t just about partying—they’re about humanity, dialogue, and love. These values have always defined us.”

Previously, Sziget snagged two Best Major Festival awards and two Best Line-Up prizes. This year, the Docklands bash was also nominated in three other categories: Best Major Festival, Best 2025 Line-Up, and Promoter of the Year.

Read also:

• Sziget Festival saved: Shorter, bolder, but star acts are hard to lock in
• First names of the strong musical lineup for Sziget Festival 2026 have arrived – video

Click to read more of our articles concerning the Sziget Festival.