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Organised by VisitDebrecen and the Debrecen Wine Journal, this year’s wine competition and judging were held on 4th February 2022 at Hotel Lycium with the participation of wine academics, winemakers, and sommeliers. The first round of wine testing was carried out last year by a panel of winemakers and wine experts from the Debrecen Wine Bar, judging 426 wines from 86 wineries in 15 wine regions.

The best way to get to know Debrecen’s cultural and architectural heritage is to wander the streets, squares, and museums of the city. The Déri Museum in Debrecen boasts one of the largest rural collections in the country, making it a must-see for locals and tourists alike. But who is the museum named after, what treasures can you find there and how can you make it a truly memorable experience? Here are seven interesting facts and behind-the-scenes secrets from the Déri Museum.

This weekend at Debrecen Zoo will be the second annual Bear Festival, an event rooted in European folklore involving bears, and the specific date of February 2nd. According to folk tradition, if bears leave their caves that day, in clear weather and see their shadow, they will get scared and hurry back in – meaning winter will last a few more weeks or if, however, the weather is gloomy and they do not cast a shadow, they stay out, marking the end of winter.

If the cold and wet weather or COVID-19 is getting you down, why not get out of the house (if vaccinated) and meet with friends for a night of music. During February there is something going on every week in the alternative music space at the Watertower.

The second month of the year offers classical music lovers a more substantial and colourful classical music programme than ever before, with concerts by the Kodály Philharmonia Debrecen and the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of Music featuring not only local artists but also invited artists and orchestras, including violinist Katalin Kokas, the Savaria Baroque Orchestra, and the National Philharmonic Orchestra.

While February is the shortest month of the year, it can feel the longest due to the cold, especially this year after a long year of COVID-19 restrictions. To elevate the winter blues, on 12th February 2022, the Aquaticum Debrecen Mediterranean Spa provides a special program on valentines day, with Aqua Fitness and Aqua Mano Party, providing a great atmosphere and romantic, exciting times.

The Institutions of the Hortobágy National Park: Game Park, Bird Hospital, Educational Trails, Animal Park, Mátai Stud Farm provide many programs all year round including some during the cold months of January and February.

This event is organized by Hajdúság Éléskamrája, in conjunction with Hungarian Reformed Charity Service and Debrecen’s Great Reformed Parish Church.

József Borsos, was Debrecen’s architect, responsible for many of the design masterpieces in Debrecen that we recognize today, he was also responsible for the restoration of the Great Forest, public buildings such as schools, and private villas, and yet much more besides.

There is so much going on in Agora this week, and into February, building up to Agora’s 7th birthday, to be celebrated on Saturday 13th February, the details are to be announced shortly, so watch this space! In addition, new Agora clubs for young science fans are set to start in February.

In keeping with its tradition, the Debrecen Zoo is organising its fourth bird-friendly family programme, which provides an excellent opportunity for visitors to get to know the special world of our feathered friends left at home for the winter and the birds of exotic landscapes.

Borderline Case – Contemporary Reflections on Central and Eastern European Identity The new exhibition at the MODEM Center for Modern and Contemporary Art opens on January 22nd.

In some aspects, Borderline Case is the continuation of the 2018 art exhibition “Time of our lives?”, which reviewed the works of emerging Hungarian artists. The exhibition puts on display the works of fifteen young artists from five countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Romania), most of which were made for this occasion. The title Borderline Case was inspired by the novel by Péter Hunčík, a psychiatrist of Hungarian origin who lives in Slovakia, presenting the 20^th-century history of the region through the story of the inhabitants of a small Slovak border town with a mixed population.

Two major exhibitions close in January, and one at the beginning of February, so if you’ve not seen them yet, it’s not too late, you can catch them in the coming weeks. The Déri Museum’s temporary exhibition HATÁr-sorSOK (Borderlines) is on until 23rd January, while the MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Art closes on 30th January with Parisian Abstracts. Abstraction-Création. Kandinsky, Hélion, Calder, Moholy-Nagy. Both exhibitions will close with a special closing programme on the last day.

The Hungarian Ice Hockey Association is organising the Night of Ice Rinks, the biggest winter sports event in Hungary, for the sixth time in 2022.