Budapest Spring Festival 2015

Known locally as the Christmas Market’s little brother, the Budapest Spring Festival is back once again! The Budapest Spring festival is on from the 10th to the 16th of April, and it will be, as always, an eclectic ride throughout the most cultured, sophisticated and delicious bits of Budapest. The entire story can be cut into two main parts:

1) The Market

The Market is the same as at Christmas time: Vörösmarty square once again becomes the home of delicious stall foods, great artisan handicrafts, fine wine, and everything else the merchants have to offer. Little huts are set up all around the square, and artisans and handicraft merchants’ from all around the country pour in to set up shop for the 10 short days that the spring festivities are in the air for. You can buy everything from homemade alcohol and jam to leather goods, gold and jewellery, handcrafted tin wares, handcrafted metallurgical products made right in front of you by a real life smith, handcrafted instruments like flutes and bagpipes and drums, handmade goat and sheep products, and much, much more. Visiting the market is free of charge.

 

2) The festivities

The most interesting bit of the festival though is the concerts, plays and other important cultural gatherings that happen at dirt cheap prices as part of the Budapest Spring Festival. Many clubs that are otherwise off limits now open their doors to share some of the best local talent, as well as international artists galore. This year will see plenty of folk music, but some of the best jazz musicians of Budapest will also get together to play a sensational concert that is sure to make the history books. The famous Erika Nagamuna will hold a piano recital, Verdi’s Aida will be played by a team of international all stars, and there will be gallery openings, plays, theatre and even puppetries to behold.

Where and how?

The easiest thing is to check their website out at: http://btf.hu/events?day=&archive=&ob=time_stamp&od=a&rpp=19&q=&rt=list

There are just so many things to do and so many places that are eager to participate and add something to the festivities that it is hard to go and track them all down one by one. The tickets are well affordable, and can open the Budapest art world like an oyster, whether you are looking for folk music, rock and roll, theatre, opera, or pretty much any facet of the arts, this festival is for you.

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