2024 has only just begun, but it’s already worth browsing the event calendar, because this year there will be great festivals in Debrecen. In addition to the well-known big events like the Debrecen Flower Carnival or the Campus Festival, 2024 will also host a number of international sporting events: in addition to the world class 3×3 basketball teams, Europe’s best women’s handball players will also be competing in Debrecen.
Here’s what’s on offer this year!
Debrecen Drive
Date: 24-26 May 2024
Venue: around the Nagyerdei Stadium
Debrecen Drive, Hungary’s largest automotive showcase, will again this year feature hundreds of different vehicles – new models and old timers, top-of-the-range racers and sports cars, rally cars and engines, trucks, power and work machines, police, fire and rescue vehicles, military vehicles. In addition to the colorful line-up of vehicles, the organizers will also be offering a colorful program of complementary activities, including free practice sessions, a professional conference and round table discussion, a celebrity race and a MiniDrive on the Children’s Day.
Debrecziner Gourmet Festival
Date: 14-16 June 2024
Venue: Great Forest Park
The Debrecziner Gourmet Festival invites you to an unforgettable taste journey to the heart of the picturesque Great Forest. In mid-June, the best restaurants and chefs of Debrecen and Hungary will gather under the shady trees of the city park to show where the top of gastronomy in Hungary is today.
Campus Festival
Date: 24-28 July 2024
Location: around the Nagyerdei Stadium
Campus Festival is one of Hungary’s largest popular music and cultural events. The organizers are preparing an exciting program of events for this year’s event. In addition to the extremely popular artists, hip-hop and rock and metal music will have their own stage, but there will also be a number of musical delicacies and exciting young talents from different genres. In addition to the music, there will be more than 400 events for those interested in other arts.
Debrecen Wine and Jazz Days
Date: 8-11 August 2024
Venue: Great Forest Park
One of the most atmospheric festivals of the summer is waiting for wine lovers and jazz enthusiasts in the Great Forest Park, on the shores of Lake Békás, where the festival is surrounded by green nature during the day and the magical festive lights dominates the skyline at night. In addition to top-class concerts by the best Hungarian jazz musicians, visitors will be able to taste the most exciting Hungarian wines.
Debrecen Flower Carnival
Date: 14-20 August 2024
Venue: several locations around the city
The Debrecen Flower Carnival has been one of the largest and most popular cultural events in Hungary for more than 50 years. At the center of the event is the carnival parade on 20 August, where spectacular flower floats decorated with hundreds of thousands of live flowers are arranged in a parade accompanied by Hungarian and foreign dancers and traditional groups. Today, however, the Debrecen Flower Carnival has become a Carnival Week offering a series of events with children’s programs, concerts, and street dance performances in many parts of the city.
3×3 Basketball World Tour and 3×3 Basketball World Championship
Date: 24 August – 1 September 2024
Venue: Kossuth Square
Following the tradition of previous years, the best players of the 3×3 basketball world will 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 be held on the city’s main square with the amazing Reformed Great Church in the background.
Debreczen Zamat Festival
Date: 13-15 September 2024
Venue: Nagyerdei Stadium’s northern events area
The region’s biggest gastronomic event will be held again this year at the Nagyerdei Stadium, with a great atmosphere, lots of exhibitors and programs. Delicious snacks will be served by the best restaurants in the area, and drinks will be provided by Hungary’s renowned palinka distilleries, among others. This year’s event will again feature the country’s famous gastronomic stars, and the atmosphere will be set by star guests.
European Women’s Handball Championship
Date: 25 November – 10 December 2024
Venue: Főnix Arena
The 2024 EHF European Women’s Handball Championship will be a landmark event in women’s handball history, as it will be the first ever tournament to be held in three countries, making it the biggest ever women’s European Championship! Three countries with different cultures, united by a strong common love of handball. The logo of the tournament reflects this united spirit, with the colors of the three countries – red, white, and green – coming together in a dynamic ball.
Debrecen Advent
Date: 23 November – 23 December 2024
Venue: downtown Debrecen
The Debrecen Advent, voted one of the most beautiful small Christmas markets in Europe in 2022, will again be open for almost a month. During the four weeks, there will be a craft fair, catering stalls, open-air concerts, family and children’s activities, and the inevitable ice rink.
