Sziget Festival

Take public transport services to the Sziget Festival

 The 25th Sziget Festival will be held on Óbuda Island (Óbudai-sziget) from 9 August to 16 August 2017. BKK Centre for Budapest Transport, the mobility manager of the Hungarian capital, provides higher frequencies on suburban railway line H5 and on tram line 6, and also operates vehicles with bigger passenger capacity on night lines 901 and 918, and launches special dedicated boat services to provide access for Sziget visitors to the venue of the festival. Transfer buses will be running between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and Óbuda Island. BKK recommends taking public transport to reach the Óbudai-sziget as fast as possible. Visitors in possession of a Sziget-Budapest CityPASS wristband valid from 5 August will be able to use public transport services free-of-charge.

During this year’s, the 25th Sziget Festival to be held between 9 and 16 August 2017:

  • more frequent daytime services and also night services are provided on suburban railway H5,
  • tram line 6 is running more frequently at night,
  • higher capacity is provided on night bus lines 901, 918 and 937
  • special dedicated boat services are launched to Óbudai Island from Jászai Mari tér,
  • shuttle bus transfers are provided for CityPASS holders from the airport directly to Sziget.

BKK at the Sziget Festival

From 9 August 2017 (Wednesday) until the last day of Sziget 2017, a BKK Customer Service Point will be operating at the venue of the Sziget Festival. An Ikarus 260 type bus converted for this event will be found near the main Sziget entrance by the K-híd (bridge).

In addition to being able to purchase different types of public transport tickets, passes and travelcards, you will be able to gather information on our products and services from our colleagues who speak different foreign languages. Our representatives will also be ready to help you with advice on how to reach your destination by public transport in Budapest.

MOL Bubi at the Sziget Festival

In addition to the Customer Service Point, you will be able to get familiar with the MOL Bubi public bike-sharing system and give it a go at the docking station installed at the venue. You will be able to only try the bikes on the venue of the Sziget as bikes can be hired from and returned only to the existing 123 docking stations. You will have to chance to purchase the 24-hour, 72-hour and weekly tickets on the spot as well as get information on the use of the system.

Take public transport to the Sziget Festival on Óbuda island

By making trips of foreign visitors arriving at the Sziget Festival more convenient and faster, BKK operates direct transfer buses between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and Óbudai-sziget on the days of “moving-in” and on the last day of “moving-out”. A dedicated staff and foreign-language brochures at the airport help you inform on transport services.

The fastest transport mode to reach the venue of Sziget Festival 2017, Óbuda Island is suburban railway H5 from which you have to get off at the Filatorigát stop.

Suburban railway H5 can be accessed at the following connection points in Budapest:

  • from the city centre, by metro line M2 to the Batthyány tér M+H stop,
  • or by tram lines 4 and 6 to the Margit híd, budai hídfő H stop;
  • from South Buda, by tram line 17 to the Margit híd, budai hídfő H stop or by tram line 19 to the Batthyány tér M+H stop;
  • from Liszt Ferenc International Airport, by bus line 100E, on which specific fares apply, to the Deák Ferenc tér M stop and transfer at the Deák Ferenc tér M stop to metro line M2 and get off at the Batthyány tér M+H stop;
  • from Déli pályaudvar and Keleti pályaudvar, by metro line M2 to the Batthyány tér M+H stop;
  • from Nyugati pályaudvar, by tramlines 4 and 6 to the Margit híd, budai hídfő stop,
  • from the Árpád híd regional bus station, by tram line 1 to Szentlélek tér H;
  • from the Népliget bus station, by metro line M3 to the Deák Ferenc tér stop where you have to transfer to metro line M2 to the Batthyány tér M+H stop; or by tramline 1 to the Szentlélek tér H stop;
  • from the Puskás Ferenc Stadion bus station, by metro line M2 to the Batthyány tér M+H stop; or by tramline 1 to the Szentlélek tér H stop.

Other services operating to Sziget Festival:

  • boat services from Jászai Mari tér,
  • boat line D12 does not provide service at the Óbudai-sziget during the Sziget Fesztivál
  • on foot from the Óbuda, Bogdáni út terminus of bus lines 9 and 109,
  • on foot from the Kaszásdűlő H stop of bus lines 34, 106, 134 and 226 .

Please find public transport network maps for daytime services here and night services here.

Please check the following maps on how to get to the Sziget Festival.

Higher frequency and more capacity on some of our public transport lines

In order to support increased passenger numbers during the Sziget Festival, we provide higher frequencies as well as more capacity on some of our services.

Suburban railway line H5: from 5:00 on Wednesday, 9 August to 20:00 on Wednesday, 16 August suburban railway line H5 runs more frequently with six-car trains. The suburban railway is running also at night during the festival between Batthyány tér M+H and Kaszásdűlő stations every 15 minutes.

Tram 6 operates more frequently in the evenings and at night from late night on 9 August to the early morning on 10 August and from late night on 15 August to the early morning on 16 August.

Night buses 901, 918 and 937: service will be provided by larger-capacity articulated buses on the Hungária ringroad from late night on 9 to the early morning on 10 August and from late night on 15 to the early morning on 16 August.

Special dedicated boat service

Between 9 August (Wednesday) and 15 August (Tuesday), a dedicated boat service is in operation every 15 minutes between Jászai Mari tér (Margit híd) and Óbudai-sziget. CityPASS holders as well as passengers in possession of public transport tickets and passes purchased at the prices specified by BKK can use the boat service.

Please board the boat at pier 8 at Jászai Mari tér and at the pier of public boat D12 at Óbudai-sziget.

Sziget-Airport shuttle service

On the first days of Sziget Festival 2017:

  • From 7 to 11 August (Monday to Friday) – during the days of “moving in” and the first days – free direct transfer service is provided from Terminal 2 of Liszt Ferenc International Airport to Sziget (Óbudai-sziget)
  • The shuttle runs every 30 minutes between 8:35 and 00:45 at night
  • This a one-way service from the airport to town
  • The service is free for Sziget Budapest CityPASS holders, but it is also accessible with regular BKK tickets and passes
  • To pick up your CityPASS please stop by at the BKK Customer Service Centre at the arrivals level of Terminal 2B

On Wednesday, 16 August, the day of “moving out”:

  • Direct one-way transfer service is provided from Sziget to Terminal 2 of Liszt Ferenc International Airport only in the direction to the airport
  • The shuttle runs every 10 minutes in the early hours, every 15 minutes in the morning and every 20 minutes later on between 3:00 in the morning and 14:00
  • The dedicated bus service is to be used only to Liszt Ferenc International Airport; the bus does not provide service to the Sziget Festival.
  • The service is free for Sziget Budapest CityPASS holders, but it is also accessible with regular BKK tickets and passes

The front-door only boarding policy applies on this service, which means that bus drivers check the CityPASS wristbands.

Further service changes in public transport

The boarding point of boat lines D11 and D12 will be relocated during the Sziget Festival. Instead of Jászai Mari tér, the boarding point will be further down from the bridge, at pier 10. The scheduled public boat line D12 does not serve the Óbudai-sziget during the Sziget Festival.

During the festival, bus line 226 will not enter Óbudai-sziget (Óbuda Island) therefore it will not serve the stops located on the island. The bus will run between Árpád híd M (metro station) and Aquincum H (suburban railway station), and after the Bogdáni út stop it will run via Szentendrei út serving all stops along the way.

Road traffic restrictions in the area of Óbuda island

For security reasons, please note that traffic restrictions will be in place again during the Sziget Festival in the area of Óbuda Island. From 12:00 on Friday, 4 August to 18:00 on Friday, 18 August 2017, the section between Mozaik utca and the Auchan connection road of Ángel Sanz Briz út will be closed, also the section between Mozaik utca 16 and Ángel Sanz Briz út will be closed. In the Mozaik utca – Ángel Sanz Briz út – Óbudai rakpart junction, the traffic light will be operating in a flashing amber-light mode during the event.

During the same period no parking or stopping at the following locations:

  • on both sides of Reményi Ede utca between Szentendrei út and Ángel Sanz Briz út
  • on both sides of Benedek Elek utca between Szentendrei út and Ángel Sanz Briz út
  • on both sides of Vajda János utca between Szentendrei út and Ángel Sanz Briz út
  • on both sides of Mozaik utca between Szentendrei út and Ángel Sanz Briz út
  • on both sides of Leányfalu utca between Reményi Ede utca and Mozaik utca
  • on both sides of the Óbudai embankment between Mozaik utca and Szépvölgyi út
  • on both sides of Ángel Sanz Briz út between the Auchan access road and Mozaik utca
  • on the Auchan connection road and the area between Szentendrei út and Ángel Sanz Briz út to the east of the roundabout

As the Sziget ticket offices will be located in the parking area near the intersection of Ángel Sanz Briz út and K-híd leading to the island, it will be prohibited to stop there.

Only special permit holders will have car access to the area marked by Szentendrei út–Reményi Ede út–Ángel Sanz Briz út–Mozaik utca during the event.

At the request of the Budapest Police, car access will be prohibited to the section of the lower Buda embankment between Halász utca and the Mozaik utca junction – with the help of police cordons – every day from 12:00 to 22:00 between 9 August (Wednesday) and 17 August (Thursday). Car access to the closed section of the embankment is possible for destination traffic only based on the judgement of the police.

Taxi services

The official partner of Sziget is City Taxi using officially fixed fares. Taxi services will be monitored and controlled with special focus by BKK in the Sziget area.

Sziget – Budapest CITYPASS

Both the blue Sziget-Budapest CITYPASS pass and the dark-blue 48-hour CITYPASS entitle you to an unlimited number of trips during their validity periods

  • on Budapest public transport, on bus – except for bus line 100E –, tram, trolleybus, metro, cogwheel railway, suburban railway and ferry services and on public transport riverboat lines
  • on the full route of the SZIGET–AIRPORT special transfer service. On the airport-to-Sziget route, the Sziget wristband vouchers are also accepted for travel
  • on the special dedicated boat services to Óbuda Island departing from Petőfi tér as well as Jászai Mari tér
  • The CITYPASS wristband is valid for travel only if worn on the holder’s wrist in an undamaged condition. The same holds true for the 48-hour CityPASS ticket with the difference that it needs to be validated by punching. The Sziget wristband is to be fastened by the plastic clip. Unfastening the clip, which is always clearly visible, will render the wristband invalid for travel.

Further discounts are applicable in possession of the Sziget – Budapest CITYPASS. Please find more information at: http://en.szigetfestival.com/citypass.

The CITYPASS is valid from midnight on 5 August until 23:59 on 17 August, available at the price of HUF 11,900.

The 48-hour CITYPASS is valid from the day of purchase to midnight on the following day, available at the price of HUF 4,500.

The CITYPASS wristband passes are sold at BKK Customer Service Points at the airport and at Sziget sales points as well. Please note that the CITYPASS is not valid for entry to the festival.

Have a good time at the Sziget Festival!

Photo: sziget.com

10,000 festival-goers already on Sziget grounds ahead of Budapest event

Some 10,000 people have already arrived at the Sziget Festival grounds, on an island in the north of Budapest, ahead of the week-long international event to start on Wednesday, the head of the organising company said.

Tamás Kádár said last year’s record of 496,000 visitors is not expected to be broken but several days will likely attract a full house. US singer Pink will be the headline act on the main stage on Wednesday and 90 percent of pass-holders are likely to be present at that time already, he added.

The Sziget Festival will once again attract most foreign visitors from the Netherlands, from where around 12,000 people are expected to arrive. The runner-up will be Italy, to be followed by Germany, the UK and France. Even around 1,000 Australians will attend the festival running between 9 and 16 of August, Kádár said.

The list of international music acts will also include PJ Harvey, Wiz Khalifa, Kasabian, The Chainsmokers, Jamie Cullum, Kensington, DJ Shadow, Bad Religion, GusGus, Interpol, Goran Bregovic, The Klezmatics, Tamikrest, Alex Clare, alt-J, Biffy Clyro, Crystal Fighters, George Ezra, Glass Animals, Hurts, Rudimental, The Kills, The Vaccines, Tom Odell, Two Door Cinema Club and White Lies.

Sziget festival, photo: MTI

In addition to music events, the festival will also offer street theatre, contemporary circus, cinema screenings and numerous art installations built from plans submitted through an international tender.

More than fifty NGOs will be represented at a section called Civil Sziget.

The festival grounds occupying an area of 76 hectares include 50 large and some 200 smaller stages. The area in front of the main stage has a capacity for 60,000 people, Kádár said.

More than 1,000 security staff and 700 health workers will look after the festival-goers, he added.

Photo: MTI

A Dutch man just bought a whole Hungarian village

After falling in love with a small Hungarian village, called Bedepuszta, a Dutch businessman, Elroy Thümmler bought almost all of the houses there – reports Magyar Nemzet.

Thümmler bought the houses from the Roma families, after which he bought them better houses in other villages. There were cases where three families were living in one house: for them, he bought three separate new homes.

The renovation process

Thümmler bought the village for almost 2 million euros altogether. The money came from his participation in Sziget’s marketing campaign abroad: last year 25 thousand Dutch and British people came to Sziget Festival and 10 thousand to Balaton Sound thanks to him.

There are only two Hungarian residents left at Bedepuszta: a beekeeper and a hunter. If the project is finished by next summer, Thümmler plans to rent the village for events or smaller music festivals. Although the village is only halfway finished, there was already a festival after part held there. The first client expected to arrive at the village is Wetransfer from San Francisco. According to the plans, there will be pools, hostels, and camping sites too in Bedepuszta.

Magyar Nemzet reports from Hvg that according to the Dutch embassy in Budapest, there are three thousand Dutch people living in Hungary. This number is expected to reach ten thousand. Most of the Dutch people live in Baranya and Somogy county, and there is even a Dutch club in the Mátra. The majority of the Dutch in Hungary are pensioners, who can keep up a good standard of living, as the western pensions are more than enough to live well in Hungarian villages.

 

photos: https://www.facebook.com/bedepuszta/

Sziget Festival – TOP 10 venues to check out! 

This is not a casual music festival, where the Main Stage is the only venue to await…Sziget is a whole different experience, where things to do are endless and non-stop. The festival is famous about the wide range of exciting and colorful programs covering all forms of arts, what makes the Island of Freedom so unique. Discover its surprises, get lost in its wonders and let it amaze you each of the seven days. 

1) Europe Stage 
You checked the line-up of Europe Stage but haven’t found any familiar names? Well, Europe Stage is your number one place if you would like to meet the young talents, the up-and-coming artists of Europe! This fine selection looks into the future and enters you to the world of Europe’s music, today. Check our Spotify list beforehand, pick and choose your favourites! They are also available for interviews!
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/user/szigetfestivalofficial/playlist/664ettgJyRHsxp5NAPG1EI
More information: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/65/europe-stage

2) Hungarikum Village by #hellohungary 
Want to know more about the host country of Sziget, Hungary? This year we celebrate and enjoy birthdays! Lots of fun program with a Hungarian twist! You probably won’t understand how you ended up at the dance house in the middle of the night, but dancing as a Hungarian is a skill, believe us 🙂
More information: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/76/hungaricum-village-presented-by-hellohungary

3) Sziget Beach 
This hidden corner of Sziget is a sacred place, where chill music is helping you to relax and get ready for the party. Do some yoga, take part in one of our dance workshops or just sip your cocktail and enjoy your holiday!
Check program: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/79/sziget-beach-cokxpon-chill-garden

4) Magic Mirror 
The tent of Magic Mirror has a wonderful atmosphere, not just hosting -probably- the most amazing parties until sunrise,but also super exciting talks and film screenings. Moreover you can see the record-breaking, award winning show LIMBO that finally makes its debut at Sziget Festival between 10-15 August! This hot and crazy mix of cabaret, circus and acrobatics has already seduced audiences worldwide, now it’s your turn to be amazed! A dirty and dangerous circus-cabaret directed by Scot Maidment, LIMBO whisks everyone into a sinister netherworld of jaw-dropping contortion, gut-churning aerial acrobatics, nail-biting stunts and staggering illusions! Come and join the Magic: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/78/magic-mirror

5) Cirque du Sziget & Fidelio Theatre and Dance Stage
Sziget is well-known for hosting the most exciting and most actual performing art shows every year. This year you can enjoy the program of Cirque du Sziget & the Fidelio Theatre and Dance Tent, where you should definitely check out the options!
Program Cirque du Sziget: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/66/cirque-du-sziget
Program Fidelio Theatre and Dance Tent: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/67/fidelio-theatre-and-dance-tent

6) Papageno Classical & Jazz Stage 
Did you know that Sziget has a classical music stage? Opera, classical music, cineconcert the Sziget way.
Program: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/75/papageno-classical-opera-and-jazz-stage

7) Luminarium 
Luminarium arrives to Sziget for the fourteenth time this year straight from the UK, inviting you to dive into this 800 square meter inflatable sculpture. This is truly a sculpture, where the artist is the architect and the painting is done by the sunlight. Architects of Air, based in Nottingham (UK), set sail the same year as Sziget Festival and since then more than 8 million visitors have enjoyed this unforgettable experience. The unique labyrinth tunnels and inspiring spacious domes welcome visitors all year round all over the world.
Check here: http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/77/luminarium-pentalum

8) TEDx Budapest Club Tent 
TEDx has an amazing hub at Sziget. This year wonderful speakers will explore the theme of Imagination! Imagine that the world is beautiful, good and true. Imagine the ideal world. How would life be if all we really needed was accessibe or could be created here on Earth. Such a world can really only be the creation of our imagination? They say if one can imagine it one can create it. But we have to be conscious while using our imagination because it is a great responsibility what kind of a future we create based on our present. We may be dreamers, but – just like John Lennon – we believe we are not the only ones. This summer we invite you to imagine a world with us that is worth working for.
Speakers:http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/97/cinema-hungary-tedx-budapest-club-tent

9) Sport TV Sport Zone 
Did you know that you can even do sports at Sziget?
Sports: small pitch football, beach volleyball, streetball, table tennis, table football, darts, badminton, table hockey, petanque, frisbee, teqball & fun programs as: BAGJUMP, adventure park, climbing wall, goldsprint, rowing ergometer, billiard football, dodgebow.
Interested? http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/107/sport-tv-sport-zone

10) Art Zone 
ArtZone is a heart shaped lovely venue on the Northern part of Sziget. Here you can dive into a whole different universe and make your own bags, chairs and paintings. So many things to do here!
What? http://en.szigetfestival.com/programs#!/v/71/artzone

Photo: http://en.szigetfestival.com

Exclusive beer for Sziget Festival’s jubilee

The greatest music and cultural festival in Europe becomes 25 years old this year, so Dreher came up with a new light festival beer for the occasion.

Dreher is the oldest partner of Sziget Festival, as it provides the thirsty audience with beer since 1995. As Szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu claims, approximately 18 million pints of beer have been consumed by the guests during this quarter of a century; 312,000 people purchased some of the hop drinks only last year. 80 bars awaited the guests with 500 taps on the entire territory of the Óbudai Island, not to mention the 220 cans in the fridges.

That might be the reason why Dreher prepared some specialty for the jubilee: that is the Sziget Beer.

The beer manufacture has been the partner  of the festival for 23 years, and they intend to celebrate this partnership properly.

“We were planning to make a special gift, so our master brewers have been working on developing a unique brew, the Sziget Beer”, contact manager Zita Szederkényi stated.

17,922,600 pints have been sold since the first opening of Sziget.

Master brewer Gábor Becz mentioned that Sziget Beer is made with cold hop technology from Centennial hop, which is often used for IPA beers. They tend to call it Super Cascade, as it has e similar taste, but two times more alpha acid (7-12%). This new brew tastes like citrus with a flowery aroma.

The end-result is a light summer beer, but with a less characteristic taste a less alcohol than the other cold hop products of the brewery. It will be available for all the guests of the festival that is being held between 9th and 16th of August. Sziget Beer is a splendid choice for the duration of the festival, as we can consume lots of it without getting into a state that makes us do thing that we might regret later.

Ce: bm

Photo: facebook.com/dreher

Sziget 25 – Festival history through photographs

Since nineteen ninety-three, an island emerges from the Danube at Budapest every year for a few days, which does have its rules, but still, opens up gates to another world: the community experience of the era sweeps through with an elemental force, while the peculiar limitations of ordinary life sink beyond the horizon, Capa exhibition center said.

Imre Benkő’s images are delicate condensations of the experience that constitutes this ‘other world.’ He captures his observations in black and white, with his regular and panoramic cameras. He doesn’t only present the community experience, but also the individual Sziget-feeling in its totality. The reality of the solitude in the middle of the crowd, the weary gaze of those exhausted by the preparations behind the scenes, the momentary absurdity of existing within the decorations of the festival. His photographs present not only situations moving masses of people, which is typical of festivals, but also the individual realizations of participating in these. The photographer reveals the unique in the similar, showcasing the thousands of faces of the Sziget Festival, and he does that with the deep humanism so characteristic of him.

Imre Benkő’s images are also structured in such a way that they provide highlights and accents that are sometimes surprising, peculiar, often interwoven with gentle humor, and always meaningful. The subjects become loveable, and the viewers become interested in the characters finding and experiencing their identities in belonging to certain groups. The fans of different subcultures and musical trends, the representatives of different nations and generations all appear on the pictures as equal citizens, or participants, of the Sziget.

Rockstar Photographers, which was founded in two thousand twelve, is a group of talented and awarded photographers, who work side by side on capturing the festivals, while keeping to their individual styles. (Since 2014 the permanent members are: Péter Kálló (art director), Sándor Csudai, Zsolt Fűrész, Kata Major, Balázs Mohai, László Mudra, Benedek Varga, and the co-ordinator, Lorina Buda.) They combine the official photographs documenting the festival programs with the pictures of numerous intimate moments, thus providing a comprehensive image of the ‘festival world’ itself.

They are best at showcasing the liberated moments, the unrestrained joy and the adulthood magic of playfulness in spectacular and vibrant ways. Their images present the volatile borderline between fantasies and reality, and how the possible can become real. They are the ones that grew up together with the Sziget, and who photograph their own generation, and thus, quasi themselves, in the middle of the events, as photographers employed by important media outlets. They explore the strong visual world of the festival, and the situation-dependence of human behavior, and flout the traditional rules as necessary. Everything is different at the Sziget Festival, why would photography be the same?

The black and white pictures of Imre Benkő present the Sziget Festival between 1993 and 2016, while the colorful, dynamic, and vibrant visual world from the members of Rockstar Photographers shows a selection from the Sziget-feeling of the past four years.

The images of the exhibition are unrivalled documents of the last decade of the past century, and the first decade of the new one. The visitors of the exhibition can witness how the “student island” that started off twenty years ago with the slogan “we need a non-stop week of fun together” and mostly resembled Woodstock, has evolved into the largest cultural event of Central Europe by now.

Even for those who have been there, the surprise is guaranteed; but for those who did not participate in it, no better guide could be provided for exploring the Sziget-feeling than the images of this exhibition. (Gabriella Csizek, curator)

Exhibited artists

Imre Benkő
Rockstar Photographers: Sándor Csudai, Zsolt Fűrész, Péter Kálló, Kata Major, Balázs Mohai, László Mudra and Benedek Varga

Opening

July 11, 2017 6pm

Opening remarks

Károly Gerendai & Péter Müller Sziámi, founders of Sziget Festival

Music

Mary PopKids, composer and performer of the official Sziget 2017 anthem

Curator

Gabriella Csizek

Exhibition is open

July 12 – August 31, 2017

Entrance ticket

500 HUF (free with valid Sziget 2017 wristband)

Photo: Sziget 2016 (c) Rockstar Photographers – Csudai Sándor

Hello Hungary, Hello Sziget! – Here is a new ticket type for Sziget Festival

The Hungarian Tourism Agency and Sziget Cultural Management introduces a new ticket type for Sziget Festival for those who would love to have a 3-day weekend getaway in the city of Budapest, while getting a taste of Sziget, one of the best major music & art festivals of Europe. The Island of Freedom takes place on a beautiful green island in the middle of the Hungarian capital between 9-16 August.

What: Sziget Festival
Where: Óbuda Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 9-16 August, 2017
Website: www.szigetfestival.com
Ticket link: http://szigetfestival.com/tickets/category/entry-ticket

The vibrant Hungarian capital, Budapest, became one of the most popular tourist destinations today. The city has an amazing energy paired with great gastronomy and a wide range of programs day and night! Visitors can immerse themselves in history and culture, while visiting one of the hundred years old Turkish baths, unique ruin bars or just staring at the exceptional architecture the city has to offer.

Those who plan to take this weekend getaway should consider the second half of August, when the biggest tourist attraction of Hungary takes place, Sziget Festival, the most colourful music & arts festival of Europe.

The tickets of #hellohungary are available for either Thursday-Friday-Saturday or Friday-Saturday-Sunday with a 25 EUR discount, compared to the price of 3 day tickets.

Photo: szigetfestival.com

Islands of the Danube around Budapest

margitsziget

Hungary is the country of waters, that is for sure, and there is no doubt the Danube plays an important role in Budapest’s life. There are some islands of the Danube which are famous among tourists, just to mention Margaret Island, but it is usually forgotten that there are many-many other islands worth seeing. Here we give a non-exhaustive list of some islands near Budapest, which are all little treasure-chests on their own.

The famous one – Szentendre Island

Let’s start the list with a quite famous island, namely the Szentendre Island. It is a 31-kilometre-long island on the Danube North of Budapest. In addition to the several ploughlands, orchards and vineyards located there, it is quite rich in waters, thus it’s most important role is to supply Budapest and the neighbouring towns with water.

Szentendre Island

Although it has rich flora and fauna – with 25 protected plants –, it is not cut from civilisation. A number of towns an villages can be found on the island, such as Kisoroszi, Szigetmonostor or Surány.

The view of Kisoroszi

The real survivor – Lupa Island

Lupa Island is a tiny but wonderful island West of Szentendre Island. It is generally known that the island has gone through some hard times due to the floods. Perhaps the big flood of 1945 was the most devastating among all.

Lupa Island
Source: lupasziget.hu

The water of the Danube got so high that on the one hand it destroyed the terraced houses on the Eastern shore, and on the other hand it built the Western shore further, where trees started to grow covering the view from the houses. Luckily, the local people have learnt to live with the danger of floods, and the life on the island is peaceful again.

Lupa Island
Source: lupasziget.hu

The historic one – Helemba Island

This island can be found near Esztergom right next to the Slovakian border. It is special because it has a number of important archeological records. Prehistoric houses, relics from the Middle Ages and a tiny church of the Árpád era can be found there. But if this is not enough, it was really a witness of history, as the representatives of the Habsburg Empire and the Ottoman Empire were negotiating there about peace – unsuccessfully – in 1599. It also took part in the famous Treaty of Trianon: it remained Hungarian territory marking the border between Hungary and Slovakia.

The professional one – Miller Island

This island is located on the Soroksári branch of the Danube. There used to be numerous water mills on the river, this is why it is called Miller Island. These water mills provided jobs for the local people. However, the Danube was not controlled at that time, thus the island used to be flooded at least once a year. Yet this could not mean any trouble for the millers, as many of the mills were so-called boat mills, which could easily float on the surface and the millers could get to them by boats as well. Local people carried the flour to the capital also by boats.

Miller Island

The one for festival lovers – Óbuda Island or Hajógyári Island

Besides Margaret Island, probably this one is the most famous island of Budapest, as this is the place that annually hosts the world-famous Sziget Festival since 1993. It belongs to District III of the capital.

Sziget Festival
Source: sziget.hu

Although the Festival is really good for the country’s economy and tourism, it causes some harm for the local environment. Yet, the island’s flora and fauna are still significant: some 200-year-old trees can be found there, and it is generally known that migratory birds tend to stop by on the northernmost part of the island. One thing is clear: somehow all creatures – let it be human, animal or plant – simply love this place.

Óbuda Island

Security committee head calls for heightened security at major summer events in Hungary

The Hungarian authorities should tighten security measures at major events this summer in response to growing challenges to Europe, the head of parliament’s security committee, of the opposition Socialists, said on Friday.

Noting the recent terrorist attacks and the current military decline of the Islamic State terrorist organisation, Zsolt Molnár told MTI that the security situation could worsen in Europe in the months ahead. For this reason, he has asked the interior minister and the minister in charge of information to introduce stricter security measures and tighten cooperation with other countries in order to prevent emergency situations.

Tens of thousands of foreigners will arrive in Hungary to attend the World Aquatics Championships, the Formula One Grand Prix and the Sziget Festival this summer, Molnár said, adding that multi-lingual information should be distributed over the internet, on leaflets and on mass transport to explain the special security measures to them.

Molnár also said that tens of thousands of Hungarians will travel internationally during their summer holidays and many of them will visit countries where the threat of terrorism is higher than in Hungary. He stressed the need to inform them about possible sources of danger and help them, if need be.

Photo: Sziget Festival

More money allocated for Hungarian police, security next year

More money will be allocated for police and security in next year’s budget, interior ministry state secretary Károly Kontrát said on Wednesday.

Parliament is expected to pass the 2018 budget next week.

Police will receive 22 billion forints (EUR 71m) more than this year, of which 5 billion forints will be spent on replacing vehicles, Kontrát told a press conference. The extra funding will also enable technical improvements to be implemented in the border crossing system. Also, the standby police force will move to a new headquarters, he added.

Kontrát said in response to a question that upcoming events such as the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, the Formula One race and the Sziget Festival will put an extra burden on the police, the anti-terrorism centre and secret services.

Tightening security at major international events in Hungary a priority, says minister

Tightening security at major international events in Hungary a priority, says minister

Budapest, May 25 (MTI) – Hungary does not need to raise the terrorist threat level in the wake of the Manchester attack, but tightening security measures at upcoming major international events that attract large numbers of people will be a priority, the interior minister said on Thursday.

These events include the 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships on July 14-30, the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix on July 28-30 and the Sziget Festival on August 9-16, Sándor Pintér told reporters after his hearing before parliament’s national security committee.

The Manchester bombing proves that the threat of terrorism has not eased but rather increased in Europe, the minister said.

Hungary is in “a lucky situation” because its strict measures against illegal migration have prevented the entry of people intending to carry out terrorist acts, he said.

Speaking after the hearing of the national security committee, the committee’s (Socialist) head Zsolt Molnár proposed preparing an information package to be given to Hungarians and foreign visitors to events such as the Grand Prix that require a high level of security. They should be fully informed of necessary security measures in a way that does not create panic, he said.

The Manchester attacks “crossed another line” by targeting young people, Molnar said.

Hungary is a “transit country as far as terrorism is concerned”, he said, adding that he has asked the interior ministry to lobby at the upcoming EU and NATO summits for the establishment of an international intelligence agency to help collect and share information among the member states.

The Socialist politician also noted that the visa application procedure and fast-tracked citizenship had been abused and he asked the interior minister to investigate these procedures and regulate them more strictly.

Molnár warned of the dangers of disinformation and hybrid warfare, saying that Hungary was among the victims of these phenomena. To preserve the country’s sovereignty, disinformation warfare should be countered forcefully and steps should be taken against disinformation originating from any country, including Russia, he said.

Ádám Mirkóczki, the committee’s member delegated by the opposition Jobbik party, said he agreed with Molnár that greater defences were needed to combat disinformation.

Bernadett Szél of green opposition party LMP called for boosting cyber defences and informing Hungarian citizens about the related steps.

Szilárd Németh of ruling Fidesz said that an extra 100 billion forints (EUR 324.8m) has been set aside in next year’s budget for counter-terrorism, crime prevention and public law and order schemes.

Photo: MTI/EPA/Georgi Licovski

Sziget Festival eyes 22.5 million euros revenue in 2017

Budapest, May 12 (MTI) – Budapest’s Sziget Festival is expected to generate revenue of around 7 billion forints (EUR 22.5m) this year and a 10 percent profit, Festival CEO Tamás Kádár told Friday’s issue of business daily Világgazdaság.

The lion’s share of the revenue, 85 percent, is expected to be generated from ticket sales, while sponsorship is set to account for 10 percent. State support makes up less than 1 percent of revenue, the paper said.

The 25th Sziget Festival is being organised on a budget of 6.3 billion forints, up by around 12 percent from last year’s 5.7 billion forint budget.

Programme costs are set to make up 40 percent of expenditures while the various services amount to 10 percent, Kádár said.

 

25th Sziget Festival to include over 1,000 acts

The Sziget Festival in northern Budapest has grown in the past 15 years to become Hungary’s largest tourist attraction, the festival’s chief organiser, Károly Gerendai, said on Thursday.

This year’s Sziget will involve over 1,000 acts from 52 countries between August 9 and 16, Gerendai told a press conference.

Headliners will include Pink, PJ Harvey, Wiz Khalifa, Kasabian, The Chainsmokers, Jamie Cullum, Kensington, DJ Shadow, Bad Religion, GusGus, Interpol, Goran Bregovic, The Klezmatics and Tamikrest.

Argentinian-Spanish and French street theater troupes will also feature and the Cirque du Sziget tent will be expanded to a capacity of 1,000, he said.

Festival CEO Tamás Kádár said the 25th Sziget would continue to promote freedom, diversity, tolerance and inclusion. He promised even more colorful visuals than in the past and an increased focus on environmental protection. Most of the water to be used at the event will be supplied from the River Danube instead of the city’s drinking supply, he said.

SZIGET – Press release

Sziget Festival, the Island of Freedom, the 7-day non-stop music and arts festival hosts almost 500.000 Szitizens coming from more than 100 countries every year. This year the program will be as colorful and vibrant as every year, so Szitizens can expect music, theatre, circus, dance and tons of activities. Moreover, the lovely city of Budapest -surrounding the island- invites everyone to explore one of the most exciting European capitals. Discounted tickets for the week-long festival holiday are available until 31st May.

What: Sziget Festival
Where: Óbuda Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 9-16 August, 2017

The first Sziget was organized in 1993 by Károly Gerendai, promoter back in the days, and Péter Sziámi Müller, musician-poet. Since, Sziget has followed a super-exciting path. In 1993 the festival hosted 43.000 people to enjoy 200 music, 80 film and 40 theatre performances. In contrary last year’s Sziget hosted 496.000 people with almost a thousand program at more than 50 venues. Not just the number of people and programs has increased rapidly, but also the budget of the 7-day event: in 1993 the total budget was around 83.000 EUR, while this year the total budget is close to 2.2 million EUR.

Sziget started out as a cultural picnic organized for a bunch of friends, while today it holds the prestigious awards for Best Major European Festival twice, Best Line-Up Festival and just recently the Artists’ Favourite Festival. Sziget is not only the biggest tourist attraction of Hungary, but also the most well-know Hungarian brand. Szitizens arrive from more than 100 countries each year, who spend more than 42 million EURs while being at Sziget. The festival has contributed to the GPD of Hungary in the last 24 years with 320 million EUR. The Sziget budget includes only 1% public funds, but the festival pays back in forms of taxes more than 16 million EUR. This year organizers are expecting the 8 millionth visitor.

Although Sziget is proud to have all awards received during the past 24 years, the biggest achievement of all was to define Sziget and to find the uniqueness of the this special vibe created during the 7-days. Also called the Island of Freedom, Károly Gerendai added at the press conference: “When talking about the content and program of Sziget we don’t necessarily think only of the headliner concerts, but the tons of small, colourful, spectacular and unique programs, that cannot be replicated. These can only be seen and felt at those given moments, when Szitizens wander around the island. These programs fill up the ‘Soul of Sziget’.”

The program structure of Sziget is one of the most diverse in the world. Besides all big music stages, Sziget has a world music stage for 17 years now, promoting colourful world music from all around the world. Understanding and feeling Roma culture has always been a key issue to the festival, Roma musicians have been present at the festival for more than a decade now. Sziget also supports the LGBTQ community with spectacular variety shows, awareness-raising film screenings, discussions, all at the Magic Mirror venue, that is one of the most popular venues on the island. Hungarian culture holds a real importance to Sziget, therefore a specially dedicated venue, the Hungarikum Village, shows the most iconic elements of Hungarian culture. NGOs are represented on the island for 25 years now, so Szitizens can meet various NGOs working in Hungary and abroad. Szitizens with disability are also welcome to the island, even alone as they can now ask for the assistance of the Let’s Go Out Association. In the heart of the festival every year the Giant Street Theatre brings a spectacular performance, while the various street theatres and circus performances have now become a must-see element of the program. A venue dedicated solely to classical music and jazz is also part of the Sziget vibe, while a special focus is once again put on the decoration of the whole area.

Tamás Kádár, CEO of Sziget Cultural Management and successor of Gerendai, has added: “Art of Freedom, once again received hundreds of applications from all over the world. The project teams show us an unbelievable new world with their imagination. These could be seen on the island in forms of giant installations and statues. Thanks to the enthusiastic artists Sziget will be decorated with amazing art, once again.”

Sziget works every year to enhance its green operations. This year the main focus will be to tackle the waste of drinkable water, so after receiving all necessary authorization, Sziget can start to decrease the amount of drinkable water used for various operations. According to the plans, the water of the Danube would be used for decreasing dust or using the Danube water as weight for ballast tanks. Thanks to last years’ radical changes, in 2016 150 cubic meter recycled waste was collected on a daily basis and 35% of this was re-used. This year 5 recycling centres will await Szitizens to change their waste to gifts and 150 re-cycling points will be installed. In addition, last year more than 2000 tents and camping accessories were collected and given to charity. Starting this year all catering units and bars will have the obligation to use only plates and cutlery that are completely biodegradable. No plastic bags will be allowed at any commercial units, all these objects will have to be biodegradable as well.

Besides developing the sustainability of the festival, Sziget carries important messages. In 2017, Sziget joined the program called Take a Stand, initiated by Yourope- The European Festival Association. Take a Stand focuses on involving and encouraging the festival-visiting youth to take part in public life. The main issues are cultural tolerance, solidarity towards minorities and openness to mutual learning. Besides Sziget many other festivals joined this initiative as Roskilde, Exit or Lollapalooza.

This year Sziget continued a strong cooperation with Viber, one of the leading global messaging apps, and teamed up for a new, exciting adventure for their global fans – Mission: Szitizen by Viber. Sziget fans now have the opportunity to complete challenges via Viber to win VIP experiences and more amazing prizes at the festival available only to the Mission:Szitizen winning teams. Viber and Sziget continue to build the future of festival communications and a truly special festival experience. All fans can now embark on a unique festival journey through Viber and get a real-life taste of the party atmosphere via Sziget’s Chat Bot: http://chats.viber.com/sziget

„Viber and Sziget started a long-term strategic partnership in 2016, and we’ll continue to use the most innovative technologies to bring fans closer to previously unimagined experiences. Entertaining artificial intelligence, instant personal recommendations and dynamic visualizations will lead the users to the new era of the festival realm.” said Atanas Raykov, Director Business Development CEE & CIS, Viber.

Photo: http://sziget.hu/fesztival/foto/hetfoi_valogatas

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Biffy Clyro, Birdy and many more at Sziget

The full program of Sziget Festival is still expanding as there are more than 50 venues where non-stop program will entertain the Szitizens for a whole week. This time Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Biffy Clyro, Birdy and more have been added to the line-up. Discounted tickets are available until 31st May.

What: Sziget Festival
Where: Óbuda Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 9-16 August, 2017

Sziget Festival has multiple venues with an endless variety of program featuring the biggest headliners, the most exciting bands of today, the freshest European talents, world music performers from all over the world, the biggest DJs and many more. It is worth to take a look at the already announced performers of Sziget as it will be a really intensive week. This time Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Biffy Clyro, Birdy, Breaking Benjamin, Tycho, Don Diablo, Marteria, Allah-Las, Bakermat and HVOB have been added.

All names announced so far in alphabetical order:

Alex Clare
Allah-Las
Alt-J
Andy C
Anne-Marie
Bad Religion
Bakermat
Bassjackers
Bear’s Den
Biffy Clyro
Billy Talent
Birdy
Breaking Benjamin
Cashmere Cat
Charli XCX
Chef’Special
Clean Bandit
Crystal Fighters
Danny Brown
De Staat
Dimenson
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
DJ Shadow
Don Diablo
Dubioza Kollektiv
Flume
Fritz Kalkbrenner
George Ezra
GTA
GusGus
HVOB
Interpol
Jagwar Ma
Jamie Cullum
Kasabian
Kensington
Leningrad
Leon
Mac Demarco
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Major Lazer
Mando Diao
Materia
Maurice West
Metronomy
Nervo
Nothing but Thieves
OH Wonder
Oliver Heldens
P!NK
Paul Van Dyk
PJ Harvey
Rita Ora
Rone
Rudimental live
Steve Aoki
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano
The Courteeners
The Kills
The Naked and Famous
The Pretty Reckless
The Strypes
The Vaccines
Tom Odell
Two Door Cinema Club
Tycho
Valentino Khan
Vince Staples
W&W
Watsky
Weval
White Lies
Wiz Khalifa

Tickets for a discounted price are available until 31st May!

Here is the Sziget 2017 Anthem! – Video

We were waiting for the newest Sziget anthem, and now the organizers pubished anthem of Hungary’s biggest music festival, listen here:

Mary PopKids: Love Solution – Sziget 2017 Anthem

“Best of” world music at the 25th Sziget Festival

On the occasion of celebrating the 25th Sziget the World Music Stage is bringing a “best of” program, which presents the greatest successes of the stage, but is also consistent with the aim to show the latest productions of world music. Day 0 starts with a Hungarian wave, and then the bests of world music are coming from the past and future. The full program of Sziget’s World Music Stage is available.

What: Sziget Festival
Where: Óbuda Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 9-16 August, 2017

Over the past thirty years, ever since the collective term: world music widespread for the ethnic-based music it has become one of the most popular music trends. Bands and performers became well-known from countries of which you don’t hear about too often, and where – as the Cape Verde Islands and Madagascar – record industry did not exist.

Sziget World Music Stage takes the part in the world music movement since 2000 and at its current site it serves approximately fifteen thousand people. Over the past seventeen years, the stage has gained outstanding international ranking, since all the bests of the genre have performed on it, and because it constantly reacted sensitively to the new trends and waves of world music. More than two hundred artists have accepted the invitation, the world’s biggest stars from England to Guinea from Belgium to Senegal.

The world music venue providing carefree, fun “party music” pays special attention to the popular Balkan- and ska-based dance music performers, in addition to the world music stars, of course, presents the recently appeared fresh performers as well. In spite of the dance music dominance – without losing of the quality, professionalism or the ethnic features – it does not rule out the sensitive or experimental productions either.

From the returning performers might be highlighted: the Serbian Goran Bregovic – whose evergreens are spreading for decades as the anthems of the Balkans – as the front man of the inevitable Wedding and Funeral Band; the world’s only Grammy-winning klezmer band, the legendary Klezmatics; the elementary Russian ska classic, celebrating the twentieth year of its existence: Leningrad; the Moroccan Gnawa revolutionizing Orchestre National de Barbés; the king of Latin ska from Sicilí: Roy Paci & Aretuska; with its cathartic “ethno-chaos” the Ukrainian DakhaBrakha, the Malian Tamikrest who are changing desert blues into desert rock; and with its overwhelming Pan-African dance music the Mokoomba from Zimbabwe.

The series of novelties is consisted of the stars of the near future, with the Gaye Su Akyol who is mixing Turkish folk music with psychedelic rock; the creator of Brazilian afrobeat: Bixiga 70; the leader of the re-blooming Latin psychedelia from Tucson, the Orkestra Mendoza; with satirical punk klezmer, the Israeli Jewish Monkeys; but here is the irresistible Chilean Chico Trujillo as well. Finally the Mongol Hanggai presents its rock based throat singing; it turns out why Magnifico is the “Balkan charlatan”; and why the young Portuguese Marta Rent is cited among the biggest American soul singers of the sixties. From the very popular multicultural French bands this year Zoufris Maracas and La Gapette will entertain the audience, and then we have not talked about the line-up of Roma music every night…

However, the site will also pamper the gypsy music lovers. John Langan Band from Glasgow will have its first debut in Hungary, with its Celtic-punk, Balkan, flamenco mixture. The Balkan and Latin music will take a hold of the audience at the multi-ethnic concert of the Barcelona-based Electrorumbaiao, while the French La Caravane Passe will bring the world of jazz.
As we mentioned above, there will be several Hungarian productions as well. And the same stylistic richness, variety and “party spirit” will be presented at their concerts as at the international performer’s concerts.
After all, who could resist the crushing-jumping “speed-freak-folk-punk” madness of Betyars Bohemian; the internationally also well-known ska band; the Romengo bringing all the charm of traditional Roma music; or the Besh o droM mixing Eastern European and Balkan music with crazy energy?

In 2017, for the first time, there will be a special Day 0 program focusing on the Hungarian world music performers, featuring the following six bands: Zoord, Parno Graszt, Kerekes Band, Söndörgő, Lajkó Félix and Óperentzia.

P!NK at Sziget Festival

Sziget Festival is very excited to host P!NK once again at the Island of Freedom. She will open the headline slot of the 7-day party, 9 August, 2017.

What: Sziget Festival
Where: Óbuda Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 9-16 August, 2017

Since her debut in 2000, P!nk (Alecia Moore) has released seven records, sold over 60 million albums, over 130 million singles, over 2.4 million DVDs worldwide and has had 14 singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (four at #1). In addition, she is the recipient of three GRAMMY(r) Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, six MTV Video Music Awards, two MTV Europe Awards, two People’s Choice Awards and was named Billboard’s “Woman of the Year” in 2013. Her The Truth About Love World Tour played 142 shows in 13 countries. P!nk’s August 9th show at Sziget marks a big return to the concert stage!

Tickets

Passes are still available for Sziget Festival, both 7-day and 5-day passes. The first 2 days, 9-10 August are not included in the 5-day passes. Day tickets are available for all 7 days. Tickets for a discounted price are available until 31 May.

Get more information HERE. 

Sziget Festival: Wiz Khalifa, Rita Ora, Paul Van Dyk and more have been announced

Sziget Festival, one of the biggest multicultural music & arts festival, will once again host a colorful music program. This time Wiz Khalifa, Rita Ora, Paul Van Dyk and more have been announced to the line-up. Discounted tickets are available until 31st May.

What: Sziget Festival
Where: Óbuda Island, Budapest, Hungary
When: 9-16 August, 2017

Sziget 2016 – Aftermovie

Sziget Festival is known for its diverse program held on a huge island in the middle of Budapest. The festival has more than 50 program venues and music goes on 24/7. Among the line-up one can already find Kasabian, Major Lazer, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Flume, PJ Harvey, Alt-J and many more. This time Wiz Khalifa was announced for the Dan Panaitescu Main Stage as well as Rita Ora. To the endless program of the huge A38 Tent Alex Clare, Dimension, The Courteeners, Her and The Vaccines were confirmed. The gigantic tent of the Arena will welcome Paul Van Dyk and Bassjackers among the already announced other names.

All names announced so far in alphabetical order:

Alex Clare
Alt-J
Andy C
Anne-Marie
Bad Religion
Bassjackers
Bear’s Den
Billy Talent
Cashmere Cat
Charli XCX
Chef’Special
Clean Bandit
Crystal Fighters
Danny Brown
De Staat
Dimenson
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
DJ Shadow
Dubioza Kollektiv
Flume
Fritz Kalkbrenner
George Ezra
GTA
GusGus
Her
Interpol
Jagwar Ma
Jamie Cullum
Kasabian
Kensington
Leningrad
León
Mac Demarco
Major Lazer
Mando Diao
Maurice West
Metronomy
Nervo
Nothing but Thieves
OH Wonder
Oliver Heldens
Paul Van Dyk
PJ Harvey
Rita Ora
Rone
Rudimental live
Steve Aoki
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano
The Courteeners
The Kills
The Naked and Famous
The Pretty Reckless
The Strypes
The Vaccines
Tom Odell
Two Door Cinema Club
Valentino Khan
Vince Staples
W&W
Watsky
Weval
White Lies
Wiz Khalifa