Summer is round the corner and with it the festival season, which promises better and better programs in Debrecen this year. It’s worth browsing the program now and adding everything you like to your calendar to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
Here are the cultural, gastronomic and sporting events and festivals that will be filling the spaces in Debrecen this summer.
Night of the Museums
22 June 2024, in several places in Debrecen
A popular event across Europe, the event is held every year close to Midsummer’s Night. To mark the occasion, Debrecen’s museums will open their doors and offer a special experience of cultural discovery beyond the traditional opening hours, until dawn. The museums are preparing a wealth of interesting and unusual programs for visitors. These include guided tours, creative and interactive activities, gastronomic and children’s programs, concerts, and performances.
Debrecen Military Orchestra Festival
3-6 July 2024, in several locations in Debrecen
The Debrecen Military Orchestra Festival, which started as a national and regional festival in the 1970s, has grown into an internationally renowned and respected event, attracting military orchestras from many countries every year. Hungary will be represented by the Hungarian Defense Forces Debrecen Garrison Orchestra and the Hungarian Defense Forces Central Orchestra between 3 and 6 July, while the international line-up will include the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, the Netherlands, Italy, Egypt, Romania, and Poland who will entertain the public in various locations, including the historic city center.
More information HERE.
EUSA Games (European University Games)
12-24 July 2024
The European University Games is one of the world’s largest multi-sport events, where athletes from European universities compete against each other. The event is organized every two years by a university city, Debrecen and Miskolc in 2014. More than 5000 participants from 400 universities in 40 countries and over 400 universities are expected to take part in the multisport event, which will feature 17 sports in total in the two cities.
More information HERE.
Debrecen Street Music Days
19-20 July 2024, in several locations in Debrecen
The Debrecen Street Music Days is held for the fourth time this year, with free street music concerts for two days. The audience is entertained by amateur bands, musicians, singers and acoustic bands.
Campus Festival
24-28 July 2024, Great Forest
One of Hungary’s biggest light music and cultural events, Campus Festival will feature an exciting program of events every year. In addition to the most popular Hungarian artists, the festival will also feature emerging young talents, and a number of international stars including Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Martin Solveig, Mando Diao, Danko Jones, Gayle, Queen Omega and Rita Ora. In addition to music, the festival will also feature other arts such as dance and theater, visual arts, and stand-up, all taking place in the picturesque Great Forest.
More information HERE.
Béla Bartók International Choir Competition and Folklore Festival
1-4 August 2024, in several locations in Debrecen
Founded in 1961, the Béla Bartók International Choral Competition (BBCC) is one of the world’s most prestigious music competitions, dedicated to the high quality of contemporary a cappella choral music. This year’s Béla Bartók International Choir Competition Grand Prize winners will again be invited to compete in the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing, which is held in Arezzo, Debrecen, Jurmala, Maribor, Tolosa, Tours and Varna, at different venues each year. All rounds of the competition are open to the public and the event will be hosted at several venues in Debrecen, with accompanying activities throughout the city.
More information HERE.
Debrecen Wine and Jazz Days
8-11 August 2024, Great Forest Park
One of the most atmospheric festivals of the summer in Debrecen awaits wine lovers and jazz enthusiasts under the shady trees of the Great Forest. On the shores of Lake Békás, in the middle of the park forest, visitors can taste the most exciting Hungarian wines alongside the most outstanding Hungarian jazz musicians in the world, all set against the backdrop of the green and atmospheric surroundings of the Great Forest Park.
More information HERE.
Debrecen Flower Carnival
15-20 August 2024, in several locations in Debrecen
The Debrecen Flower Carnival has been one of Hungary’s biggest and most popular festivals for more than 50 years. The highlight of the event is the carnival parade on 20 August, when the nearly 5-meter-high spectacular flower compositions depicting scenes of popular tales or themes parade through the city accompanied by Hungarian and foreign dancers and traditional groups. The Debrecen Flower Carnival has grown into a week-long jamboree with children’s programs, concerts, flower arranging demonstrations, craft fairs and, of course, lots of flowers.
More information HERE.
Beer by Lake
15-20 August 2024, Great Forest Park
Visitors can enjoy a full week of the most diverse Hungarian craft and artisanal beers, alongside refreshments from foreign craft breweries, including the previously familiar Czech trend. During the event, there will also be gastronomic and cultural programmes, and a variety of food trucks will offer culinary experiences and beer tasting.
3×3 Basketball World Tour and 3×3 Basketball World Championship
24 August – 1 September 2024, Kossuth Square
Following the tradition of previous years, the best players of the 3×3 basketball world will again visit Debrecen in the last week of August. In addition to the World Championships, the World Tour Masters, featuring the highest ranked professional teams, will also be taking place in Debrecen’s main square. Watching the teams play live in front in front of the illuminated Reformed Great Church is a one-of-a-kind experience.
