For nearly sixty years, Debrecen has been hosting Hungary’s biggest birthday party, the Debrecen Flower Carnival, which is a must-see for everyone. From 15 to 20 August, almost the entire city will be in bloom and there will be a host of programs in countless venues. There will be free concerts by Irie Maffia, the Bohemian Betyars, Magna Cum Laude and the Bagossy Brothers in the main square, a botanical and craft fair, a night-time bike parade, public dance performances, exhibitions, a beer garden and light painting. For the younger ones, the Galiba Children’s Festival will provide several days of entertainment in the amusement park.
The highlight of the festival will of course be the carnival parade on 20 August, with more than 2,000 dancersm musicians, and spectacular flower floats, which you can see in the morning in the procession and in the afternoon on the flower float expo in front of the Nagyerdei Stadium. New this year is the return of the evening carnival parade, which will conclude with a concert and street party in the main square.
The program of the 2024 Debrecen Flower Carnival:
THURSDAY, 15 AUGUST
10:00-18:00 Kölcsey Center Ballroom
Playmobil exhibition
20:30, Kossuth tér
The Night of Classics presents: HUNGARIANS IN HOLLYWOOD
A film music concert show featuring the most famous works of Hungarian and Hungarian-born Hollywood artists performed by the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra.
With the Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Péter Pejtsik
16:00-24:00, Great Forest – Lake Békás
Beer by Lake – Beer Garden
FRIDAY, 16 AUGUST
10:00-18:00 Kölcsey Centre Ballroom
Playmobil exhibition
17:00, Batthyány utca
II. Batthyány Flower Fest and II. International Street Festival
The Debrecen Creative Community this year also awaits you with colorful programs during the carnival week! The members of the community are the shops and associations of Batthyány pedestrian street. The Halloween street festival, the Spring Rhyme Festival, and the Batthyány Latin dance evening can be linked to their name.
And now it will be one of the venues of the Debrecen Flower Carnival programs, where the youngest of the dance schools can parade along the entire street. Mini-carnival is coming!
Let this afternoon be about both the kids and the parents. We warmly welcome all families, let’s spend the afternoon together in a carnival atmosphere on one of the most exciting streets in the city center!
DETAILED PROGRAM:
Between 5.00-7.30pm II. Batthyány Flower Fest, then between 7.30-10.00pm II. INTERNATIONAL STREET FESTIVAL awaits you.
Dance schools performing at the Batthyány Flower Fest:
- Diamond Fitness Se
- Sárközy Balett és Színpadi Tánciskola
- LESZ DANCE Tánc és Sportegyesület
- Positive Dance Táncakadémia Pozitív Centrum Táncművészeti Egyesület
- Dance Universe TáncSport Egyesület
- Feeling Tánc és Mazsorett Egyesület
- Harmónia Dance Stylers
- Happy-Time Tánciskola
- Piruett Tánc Stúdió
- Hajdúszoboszlói Főnix Látványtánc és Mazsorett Sportegyesület
- Balancé Tánciskola
- R&B Dance Hip Hop Tánciskola
Program of INTERNATIONAL STREET FESTIVAL:
19:30-20:00 Hinta LOW koncert
20:00-22:00 Dj.Maci
19:00, Kossuth tér
Swing à la Django concert
Swing à la Django is coming to Kossuth Square with an impressive concert. The two-time gold-selling band’s hits have conquered the playlists of the most listened-to radio stations and reached millions of views on music sharing portals over the past two years. Swing à la Django 2021 reached the number 5 spot on DAL son contest and the number 25 spot on Mahas’ annual radio playlists, the latter with the cover of Diamond. Now they are presenting their latest exciting musical experiment to the audience at the Debrecen Flower Carnival: a reworking of Antonio Vivaldi’s most popular work, the violin concerto cycle, The Four Seasons.
21:30, Kossuth tér
Irie Maffia concert
The Irie Maffia band has had an eventful past. They have been playing to 6-8,000 people in Budapest Park for years and are regulars on the main stages of the biggest festivals, which is no wonder, as they are a supergroup featuring some of Hungary’s most distinctive singers. Thanks to this, they have songs like ‘Bajnok’ and ‘Hajnali Kör’, which are played in rotation on radio and TV, as well as milestones like the anthem of the Sziget festival (Easy As One Two Three), several Fonogram and Petőfi Music Award nominations and several tours abroad.
For their 15th anniversary year, the band released a full-length album, several songs of which became national hits thanks to radio and music TV, such as ‘B-Side’, ‘Just Like It Used To Be’ and ‘I Need A House’. Their most recent release ‘Volt egy álmom’ became the most played song in Hungary according to the MAHASZ top list. In addition to the strong musical show, the band is touring a large-scale stage spectacle complete with visual effects and pyrotechnics, which with the four characterful singers is guaranteed to conjure up a festival atmosphere at any concert venue.
16:00-02:30, Big Forest – Lake Békás
Beer by Lake – Beer Garden
SATURDAY, 17 AUGUST
10:00-18:00 Kölcsey Centre Ballroom
Playmobil exhibition
10:00-20:00, Kölcsey Centre
Botanica Expo – flower and garden exhibition, international flower arranging competition and fair
14:00-21:00, Amusement Park
Galiba Children’s Festival
14:00, Dósa nádor tér
I. Career Carnival
“The city is dancing” stage
15:00-15:30 Rocksuli 35
15:30-16:00 Mini “The city is dancing”
16:30-17:00 Rézeleje Fanfare
17:30-18:00 Réka Farkasházi and the Ink Rabbit
18:00- 19:00 “The city is dancing”: Batala International, Ballet Ópera Ontinyen, Tamba Taya
Fiesta stage
19:00-20:00 Latin night with Euphoria Dance
20:00-21:00 Yulaysi Miranda concert
21:00-22:00 Alacalufe concert
22:00-23:00 The city dances: R&B Dance Hip Hop Dance School, Diamond Fitness, Dance Universe
16.00-20.00, Karakter 1517 Bookstore and Café
Jewellery making workshop with Maminvent
Maminvent welcomes you with its real leather and recycled creations and a jewellery making workshop. Young children can join in with a parent or guardian. You can make real leather earrings and bracelets from leftover materials at a reduced price of 1000 HUF/each, in the spirit of the zero waste concept.
20:10, Dósa nádor tér
Concert by Yulaysi Miranda and Gergő Tóth
Yulaysi Miranda is a versatile Cuban singer and songwriter, the discovery of the 3rd season of Sztárban Sztár Leszek, winner of The Voice Cuba in 2016. Yulaysi has also been a guest artist on three albums nominated for a Latin Grammy Award in the Best Tropical Album category. The dazzling singer will bring the true Caribbean feel to the stage of Dósa nádor tér on Saturday 17 August at 20:10 with her husband, violinist Gergő Tóth.
21:00, Kossuth tér
Bohemian Betyars concert
Since 2009, the Bohemian Betyars have won the hearts of audiences across Hungary and around the world with their speed-folk-freak-punk, captivating, energetic and energetic line-up. The direct, instinctive, life-affirming vibe of their concerts unleashes the audience’s emotions, gets to the core and makes every foot dance. With their unique sound they authentically represent the uniqueness of the Hungarian bittersweet approach, shaping Hungarian, Balkan and Gypsy folk music to their own unique taste, combining punk, ska and many other styles. Their adventurous spirit continues to drive them forward, to reach all corners of the world and move the body and soul with their music, wherever they go. Whether on the street, in a club or at a festival, Bohemian Betyars’ joyful music and captivating rhythms will throw you out of your everyday life and into the deep waters of self-indulgence, just as they were designed to do.
14:00-02:30, Great Forest – Lake Békás
Beer by Lake – Beer Garden
SUNDAY, 18 AUGUST
10:00-18:00 Kölcsey Centre Ballroom
Playmobil exhibition
10:00-20:00, Kölcsey Centre
Botanica Expo – flower and garden exhibition, international flower arranging competition and fair
13:00, Reformed Small Church
Tower tours, organ concert
Tower tours starting at 13:00
18:00 Fiori musicali – Musical flowers
Early evening organ concert with organist Dr. Dániel Sárosi
19:00-23:00 Night tower tours – departing every hour with a guide
13:30-21:00, Amusement Park
Galiba Children’s Festival
14:00, Dósa nádor tér
I. Career Carnival
“The city is dancing” stage
15:00-15:30 Rocksuli 35
15:30-16:00 Mini “The city is dancing”
16:30-17:00 Interactive performance by the Galiba Company
17:30-18:00 Merry Elves
18:00-19:00 Dancing the town: Claudia’s Angels, Amirah Belly Dance and Movement Studio
Fiesta stage
19:00-20:00 Fruzsi Erdős
20:00-20:30 Welcoming international groups
21:00-22:00 Suncity Brass concert
22:00-23:00 DJ Németi and mirror costumes
15:30-22:30, DEMKI Youth House yard
Flower courtyard
This time again, visitors will be treated to a real fiesta and a unique spectacle. The free event will feature the Groovehouse band, Luca Balduccio, the Agyagbanda Ensemble, the Happy and Band party band and dance groups. For the finale, the Dragon Girls Fire Juggling Team will be there to wow the crowd with their breathtaking show.
Program:
15:30 Feeling Dance and Masorettas Association
16:00 LESZ DANCE Dance and Sport Association
16:30 Nailah Belly Dance Studio presentation
17:00 Piruett Dance Studio presentation
17:30 Kardos TSE presentation
18:00 Luca Balduccio’s “Italian Evening”
19:00 Groovehouse small concert
20:00 Clay Band Ensemble
21:00 “Retro party” with Happy and Band
22:00 Show by the Dragon Dragons Fire Juggling Team
The exhibition “In the language of flowers” will also be on display. You can take selfies with giant flowers and get a glimpse into the life of plants.
In addition to the authentic carnival stage atmosphere, there will be face painting and handicraft activities for the younger ones.
There’s also food and drink from Sheldon’s, with cotton candy, scones, horn cakes and ice cream.
18:00, II. János Pál Pápa tér (next to the Mist Theatre)
Night Ride bike parade
On this evening, the streets of Debrecen will be filled with the ringing of bicycle bells and the city will be illuminated by flashing bike lights. During this event, thousands of cyclists ride their decorated bikes around Debrecen.
18:15 – Assembly
18:30 – 18:55 Ride Zone Show – BMX demonstration with Kempf Zozó and his team
19:00 – 19:45 Concert of Gábor Heincz BIGA and his Orchestra
19:45 – 20:00 Line up of cyclists
20:00 – Start of the parade
20:45 – Arrival at the Mist Theatre
Route of the parade: II. János Pál pápa tér – Pallagi út – Simonyi út – Péterfia utca – Hunyadi utca – Rákóczi utca – Burgundia utca – Klaipeda utca – Szent Anna utca – Miklós utca – Antall József utca – Tisza István utca – Hatvan utca – Bethlen utca – Egyetem sugárút – Nagyerdei körút – Pallagi út – II. János Pál pápa tér
21:00, Dósa nádor tér
Concert of the SunCity Brass, or the Electronic Brass Band
Suncity Brass’s special line-up consists of a DJ/Keyboard and a full brass band, including three trumpeters, a trombonist, a bass trumpeter and a sousaphone player.
Do you like hardstyle and drum and bass? Or maybe riddim? Then this extravagant instrument set is for you! If you’re ready for a symphony of a new world in dubstep style, don’t hesitate to join us on 18 August at Dósa nádor tér from 21:00!
21:00, Kossuth tér
Magna Cum Laude concert
The band Magna Cum Laude, winner of the 2024 Petőfi Music Award “Band of the Year”, will be among the big concerts of the Debrecen Flower Carnival!
14:00-02:30, Great Forest – Lake Békás
Beer by Lake – Beer Garden
MONDAY, 19 AUGUST
09:00, Reformed Small Church
Tower tours, organ concert
09:00 Continuous tower tours
12:00 Fiori musicali – Musical flowers
Organ concert with István Garancsi organist
18:00 Fiori musicali – Musical flowers
Early evening organ concert with István Garancsi, organist
19:00-23:00 Night tower tour – departure every hour with guided tour
10:00-18:00 Kölcsey Centre Ballroom
Playmobil exhibition
10:00-20:00, Kölcsey Centre
Botanica Expo – flower and garden exhibition, international flower arranging competition and fair
14:00-20:00, Amusement Park
Galiba Children’s Festival
14:00, Dósa nádor tér
I. Career Carnival
“The city is dancing” stage
15:00-15:30 Rocksuli 35
15:30-16:00 Mini “The city is dancing”: Feeling Dance and Mosaic Association
16:00-17:00 “The city is dancing”: Happy-Time Dance Association, Amirah Belly Dance and Movement Studio, BAFOFIM Ballet Folklórico Fiesta Mexicana
17:30-18:00 Performance by the Debrecen Zenede
18:00-18:20 Attitude Dance Ensemble
Fiesta stage
18:40-19:30 Pál Dénes concert
20:00-21:00 Juli Szigeti concert
21:30-22:00 Kállay Saunders concert
22:00-23:00 DJ Salazar and ledjonglers
16:40, Kossuth Square
Japanese koto music performance
The koto is a traditional Japanese instrument with a history dating back over a thousand years. Originally brought to Japan from China, it has since become one of the country’s most important national instruments. The koto is a long, flat-bodied, two-stringed instrument that usually has 13 strings, although there are also 17, 21 and even more stringed versions. These strings are played with special picks that the players attach to their fingers.
Special features of the performance:
- Traditional Japanese music brought to life through the magical sound of the koto.
- The melodies have a spiritual, meditative mood that offers the audience an opportunity for spiritual reflection.
- The virtuosic playing and technique of the koto artists, showcasing the versatility and beauty of the instrument.
18:40, Dósa nádor tér
Concert by Dénes Pál
The public first heard about Dénes Pál more than ten years ago, in 2013, when the singer won Hungary’s Voice talent show. Many people got to know him when they started singing a duet with Szilvia Agárdi in A Dal 2013 song contest and reached the final of the competition with their song Szíveddel láss (With your heart see). Dénes Pál’s work over the last decade has produced hits such as Tulipán, A wind is your shelter and the recently released Nem kell más. The singer’s concert starts at 18:40 on Monday 19 August in Dósa nádor tér.
19:00, in front of the Grand Hall of Kölcsey Centre
TOYOMA NO DENTŌ – Japanese evening
- Hina Brushwriting Demonstration
- Hina Porcelain Dolls
- Sodo Scrolls
- Samurai Armor
21:00, Kossuth tér
Joint concert of Roby Lakatos, Gigi Radics, Attila Kökény
Three of Hungary’s iconic musicians, Gigi Radics, Roby Lakatos and Attila Kökény, will give a unique joint concert for the benefit of the audience of the Debrecen Flower Carnival. The legendary trio will perform in Kossuth Square on 19 August from 21:00.
21:00, Dósa nádor tér
Kállay-Saunders András concert
For the practically unstoppable American-Hungarian singer-songwriter, the 2010 Megasztár brought him national recognition, but his real breakthrough came in 2014, when he won the show A Dal 2014. Representing Hungary with his song Running, he achieved his second best ever Hungarian result, finishing 5th at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen. Still an active performer today, he has become a regular on Hungarian radio and TV stations, with hits such as My Baby, Juliet, Joy, Who we are and Ocean. In addition to English-language compositions, he has also collaborated on several Hungarian-language songs with artists such as Manuel, T.Danny, BSW, Miskovits, Fehér Holló, etc.
14:00-02:00, Great Forest – Lake Békás
Beer by Lake – Beer Garden
TUESDAY, 20 AUGUST
07:00, Baltazár Dezső tér – Egyetem tér
Carnival fun run
The carnival run starts with a colorful run… The most exciting day of the Debrecen Flower Carnival, 20 August, kicks off with the most colorful run of the year. Starting from Baltazár Dezső tér, the 2.6-kilometre fun run will see participants simultaneously throwing up their paint dust and then running along the carnival route under a huge cloud of color. The runners will be cheered on by the carnival audience as they make their way to Egyetem tér.
7:00 – On-site registration, assembly
8:00 – Warm-up
8:15 – Start
Route: Baltazár Dezső tér – Déri tér – Bethlen utca – Egyetem sugárút – Egyetem tér
08:00, Petőfi tér – Egyetem tér
Carnival parade
The most popular event of the Debrecen Flower Carnival every year is the carnival parade on 20 August, when the spectacular flower floats parade through the city accompanied by Hungarian and foreign musicians and dancers.
Route: Petőfi tér – Piac utca – Kossuth tér – Hatvan utca – Bethlen utca – Egyetem avenue – Egyetem tér
10:00-18:00 Kölcsey Centre Ballroom
Playmobil exhibition
13:00-20:00, Kölcsey Centre
Botanica Expo – flower and garden exhibition, international flower arranging competition and fair
13:30, Nagyerdei Stadion north event area
Flower Float and Old Timer Exhibition
After the carnival parade, the flower floats and old timers will be on display from early afternoon, while the audience will be entertained by folklore and dance groups.
14:00-19:00, Déri Square
Impressions and improvisations 3.0 – image, music, dance outdoors
Grab a picnic blanket and some lunch and head to the cozy Déri Square on 20 August for a rendezvous of contemporary art. Music-induced movements and moment-to-moment impressions bring to life the subject matter on canvas: lights, colors, sounds and movements in the embrace of easels.
Two years ago, the idea of combining three artistic disciplines: music, contemporary dance and contemporary painting was born. The first artistic performance was called Impressions, improvisations – free in the open air and took place during the week of the Flower Carnival on 20 August. Last year, the event moved from the Great Forest to the heart of the city, the atmospheric Déri tér, where 25 young and talented visual artists and more than 30 dancers were featured. The paintings created there were presented on the closing day of the 1st Debrecen Artweek at the Kölcsey Centre.
This year, the cross-over program, which was conceived two years ago, will be back on Déri tér, where new participants will be added to the program, providing a great experience for lovers of visual arts, contemporary dance and improvisational music. This year, some of the award winners of the Foundation for Young Artists will join the painters, and the Foundation’s giant community painting, which will be completed at the Campus Festival, will also be on display in the square.
14:00-20:00, Amusement Park
Galiba Children’s Festival
14:00, Dósa nádor tér
I. Career Carnival
“The city is dancing” stage
15:00-15:30 Rocksuli 35
15:30-16:00 Mini “The city is dancing”: Feeling Dance and Mosaic Association
16:00-17:00 “The city is dancing”: AerialDeb Gymnastics and Gymnastics Sports Association, Capoeira Hungria, Gaura-vanin and the Krisnaks
17:00-17:30 Molnár Orsi concert
18:00-19:00 Dancing Boots Country Linedance Club Debrecen, Sárközy Ballet School, Red Stars Dance Crew Association
19:00, Dósa nádor tér
Gábor Márkó acoustic concert
The popular actor-singer duo, Márkó Gábor and Bernadette Becz, are known to the audience from both TV music shows and theatre productions. They think of themselves as theatre people, but they have no secret goal of conquering the concert stage. Their bandleader is Artisjus award-winner Dávid Dér, whom they met during the 2023 show A Dal. As a telling indicator of the duo’s popularity, they played almost 180 shows last year. On 20 August at 19:00, the Gábor Márkó family will play on the stage of the Career Carnival in Dósa nádor tér, where they will perform a 60-minute acoustic concert of their own songs and covers.
21:30, Kossuth Square
Bagossy Brothers Company concert
Founded in 2013, the band from Gyergyószentmiklós has become one of the most popular bands in Transylvania and later in the whole Carpathian Basin with their energetic, audience-oriented concerts. The group has released 5 albums, 1 symphony concert album, 1 EP and a special Christmas album, all of them multi-gold, while the 2019 release Veled Utazom (With You I Travel) has been certified six times platinum. They have won four Petőfi Music Awards, two Fonogram Awards and the title of Best Transylvanian Hungarian Song.
11:00-22:00, Great Forest – Lake Békás
Beer by Lake – Beer Garden
Related exhibitions:
42nd Hungarian Press Photo Exhibition
13 August – 8 September 2024, Csapó utca pedestrian zone
The 42nd Hungarian Press Photography Exhibition went on a tour of the countryside after its Budapest presentation and arrived in Debrecen from Zamardi for the Flower Carnival week. A selection of the winning entries of last year’s Hungarian Press Photo Competition will be on display in the Csapó utca pedestrian zone, the usual venue, until the beginning of September. This year, 250 photographers entered 2,470 entries, with a total of 6,810 photos submitted.
Exhibition of the works from the Budapest Illustration Festival
15 August – 19 September 2024, Bényi Gallery (Kölcsey Centre)
Create freely
From 16 August 2024, Kölcsey Centre, 1st floor foyer
The Foundation for Young Artists has launched a competition entitled “Your sporting experience!”. From the entries received, the jury selected the 5 best entries in three age categories. The winning works will be on display at exhibitions in Hungary and abroad this summer, one of the stops of which will be the Kölcsey Centre during the Debrecen Flower Carnival.
Magical Hungary – nature photography exhibition
17 August – 16 September 2024, Kölcsey Centre, ground floor foyer
The mission of the exhibition is to open a window on the natural treasures of Hungary’s national parks through nature photography, and thus to raise awareness of the importance of nature conservation.
The program of events is constantly expanding.
