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Every year on the Saturday of Pentecost, the National Herders’ Competition and Shepherd’ Meeting is held in Hortobágy, for the 28th time this year, on 28 May 2024 in the Puszta Animal Park. The event will bring herders from all over Hungary to show off their skills to the public on Saturday, after the qualifying rounds on Friday.

“Books are in eternal conversation with each other across time and space. They cannot stop talking to each other.” – Péter Esterházy, From the Wonderful Life of Words, 2003

By presenting cord documents and contemporary artworks borrowed from the collections of the Reformed College of Debrecen and the Alföldi Printing House, Makropædia attempts to provide a reflective overview of the role of the book in our culture.

The Zsuzsi Forest Railway opened the 2024 season with the slogan “Healthy body, healthy soul!”, and started its regular services on 1 May. Passengers can enjoy a scenic train ride as well as nature-oriented programs until September.

Founded in 2006, the MODEM Center for Modern and Contemporary Art took an important step in 2023: the art center, which was previously a gallery, entered the museum institutional network, the primary and most important result of which is that its collection is now accessible to the community, a public collection.

A new temporary exhibition opened in the Déri Museum on 11 April, City Day.

This year we commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848/49. The year 1849 was of great importance for Debrecen, as the dethronement of the Habsburg dynasty, the final drafting and proclamation of the Declaration of Independence, the election of Kossuth as Governor are all historical events with a Debrecen connection.

Folklore has always linked the beginning of spring to George’s Day on 24 April: depending on the weather and the condition of the pastures, this is the time when livestock were driven from their winter shelters to summer pastures and the shepherds were hired. Although in recent years nature seems to have defied this centuries-old rhythm, in one of Hungary’s most traditional regions, the Hortobágy, with its rich pastoral tradition, this year is no different.

In 2023, Bursa, Turkey, hosted the International Basketball Federation’s latest initiative, the Youth Champions League. The first, now official, edition is hosted by Debrecen – between 2 and 7 April 2024, thirteen U18 teams will battle it out for the final victory in the Oláh Gábor Street Sports Hall, including Team Debrecen.

The Debrecen Spring Festival, often called the opening of the city’s cultural season, is back. The aim of this long-standing event is to highlight the artistic content created here, in connection with Debrecen’s City Day held on April 11, and to showcase our cultural values to a wider and wider audience.

Visit Zoo Debrecen between March 30 and April 1 for a rich Easter experience with some of the most popular bunny stars in addition to a wild day out and this year’s first amusement park adventures.

The Great Forest of Debrecen – the most beautiful forest in Hungary – is beautiful in every season. But spring, when nature awakens from its winter sleep, the trees turn green and the colourful flowers bloom, is perhaps one of the most beautiful times in the Great Forest. On the occasion of the INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS on 21 March, we have put together 10 reasons why the GREAT FOREST is a must-see destination, beyond of course the natural values and the fresh air.

Good news for flea market lovers: there will be a flea market in Debrecen on 23 and 24 March in two locations. On Saturday, children will sell their products on Batthyány Street, while on Sunday, antique lovers are welcome in front of the Nagyerdei Stadium.

Continuing the tradition of previous years, this year again a joint church and city celebration is held on Palm Sunday, which will take place on 24 March 2024 in Debrecen’s city center.

This year’s celebration will include a commemoration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, followed by an ecumenical Way of the Cross starting at the Reformed Great Church led by the bishops of the historic churches. At each station, the representatives of the churches will read the liturgical texts, after which the spiritual pilgrimage will be enriched by prayers, poems and songs performed by local actors. Following the procession, the Lyra Symphonic Orchestra will give a concert in the Reformed Small Church, and the festive program will end with a service in the Reformed Great Church with the performance of the Debrecen Garrison Orchestra.

For the 14th time, the Francophone Film Days will be held all over Hungary, and this year in Debrecen, the Apollo Cinema will be the venue, along with MODEM. The film festival held between 18 and 22 March 2024 is a great opportunity to get an insight into the best of recent film production from Francophone countries, most of which have already been screened at the most prestigious international festivals, and to immerse yourself in the diversity of French-speaking cultures and the beauty of the French language, as the films will be screened in French with Hungarian subtitles.

A colorful program awaits classical music fans in March and April. The Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kodály Choir and the students, teachers and guests of the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of Music will perform live works by Bach, Chopin, Wagner and Rachmaninov. In the spring, classical music for younger children will also be on offer, with the arrival of Vilmos Gryllus, a popular and much-loved performer of all generations, and the Arco Nobile String Quartet, who will bring the world of classical music closer to children in an interactive concert with an instrument demonstration.