See here for all the Top Summer Festivals in Hungary.
 

Week 4

Depeche Mode

22. Depeche Mode, Budapest

Regarded as royalty here in Eastern Europe, Basildon’s finest take to the road despite the recent death of founding member, Andy Fletcher.

More details: Depeche Mode: 'Memento Mori Tour', Puskás Aréna Budapest, 28 July

23. Bonnie Tyler, Veresegyház

The Welsh songstress brings her heartache and her old hits to the sleepy community of Veresegyház, just outside Budapest.

More details: Bonnie Tyler, Veresegyház, 29 July

24. Fezen Festival, Székesfehérvár

Cheery songsmiths Carson Coma and popular Pécs rapster Halott Pénz are among the Hungarian acts at this four-day bash at the gateway to Lake Balaton.

More details: Fezen Festival, Székesfehérvár, 26 - 29 July

25. Night of Beaches, across Hungary

Baths and spas nationwide extend their opening hours and lay on special events to celebrate bathing culture in Hungary.

More details: Night of Beaches, 29 July

+1 OZORA Festival, Dádpuszta

Originating from the solar eclipse of 1999, this chilled get-together between Lake Balaton and the Danube brings music on six stages and all kinds of cultural activity to a serene valley.

More details: OZORA Festival, Dádpuszta, 31 July - 6 August
 

Before: 

Week 1


Festival of Lights, Pécs

1. Óbuda World Music Week, Budapest

In the pretty, historic surroundings of the cobbled main square in the Budapest district of Óbuda, top Gypsy music exponents Besh o DroM play on Friday, 30 June and Balkan star Boban Marković appears with his orchestra on Saturday, 1 July.

More details: Óbuda World Music Week, Kobuci Kert, Until 1 July

2. Fishing on Orfű Festival

One of the top alternative music festivals in Hungary, this annual get-together takes place at a pretty lake near Pécs in southern Hungary.

More details: Fishing on Orfű Festival, 28 June - 1 July

3. Kolorádó Festival, near Budapest

Budapest’s key alternative festival brings spirituality and great underground sounds to the Buda hills.

More details: Kolorádó Festival, Nagykovácsi, 28 June - 1 July

4. Tom Jones, Budapest

The Welsh legend performs his old hits and a fair few contemporary numbers in yet another visit to Hungary.

More details: Tom Jones, MVM Dome Budapest, 1 July

5. Zsolnay Festival of Light, Pécs

The lively southern Hungarian city, a former European Capital of Culture, showcases its heritage as the home of famed ceramics manufacturer Zsolnay with this spectacular annual festival.

More details: Zsolnay Festival of Light, Pécs, 6 - 9 July

6. Duna-Part Festival, Ráckeve

Top Hungarian acts, including Elefánt and the wonderful Bëlga, perform at this three-day bash, staged in a picturesque setting by the Danube – all within easy reach of Budapest.

More details: Duna-Part Festival, Ráckeve, 6 - 8 July

7. Waldorfest, Törökmező

This student-friendly music event in the lovely Danubian location of Nagymaros by the Slovak border this year features top Hungarian acts Aurevoir. and Ivan & the Parazol.

More details: Waldorfest, Törökmező, Nagymaros, 6 - 9 July

8. International Palace Games in Visegrád

Celebrating royal get-togethers of centuries past, this three-day event of knightly battles and medieval music takes place in the very place where Central European nobility met back in the day, Visegrád, overlooking the Danube from its lofty vantage point.

More details: International Palace Games, Visegrád, 7 - 9 July

Week 2


Norah Jones at Veszpémfeszt

9. EFOTT Festival, Lake Velence

Live music, sports events and cultural activities come together for a whole week beside the pretty lake nearer to Budapest than Balaton, Velence.

More details: EFOTT Festival, Lake Velence, 10 - 16 July

10. Joss Stone & Norah Jones, Veszprém

Headliners at the 20th running of this major festival at Veszprém near Balaton are top UK soul singer Joss Stone and Manhattan’s own Norah Jones.

More details: Joss Stone & Norah Jones, VeszprémFest, 12 - 15 July

11. Bánkitó Festival, Bánk

Along with theatre shows, games and installations, this year’s eco-friendly festival at Bánk in Nógrád County features performances by underground bands Platon Karataev and Csaknekedkislány.

More details: Bánkitó Festival, Bánk, 13 - 15 July

12. Katlan Festival, Tárnok

Exponents of electro convene at a quarry just outside Budapest for three days of mind-bending sounds and crazy dancing.

More details: Katlan Festival, Tárnok, 13 - 15 July

13. Hortobágy Equestrian Days

The famed horsemanship at this national park near Debrecen, eastern Hungary, is fully on show at the traditional equine event.

More details: Hortobágy Equestrian Days, 14 - 16 July

14. Night of Cable Cars - across Hungary

Take romantic flights of fancy across Hungary around sunset when six attractions from Lillafüred to Zemplén co-ordinate their cablecars. Including Budapest’s very own Libegő, of course, up in the Buda hills.

More details: Night of Cable Cars, 15 July

15. Budapest Pride

After a month of citywide activities, the annual Pride festival culminates in the parade through town on Saturday, 15 July.

More details: Budapest Pride, 15 July

16. Deep Purple, Budapest

Hoary old legends rock out yet again at Budapest’s main concert stage.

More details: Deep Purple, Budapest Aréna, 16 July

Week 3


Valley of Arts Festival - Kapolcs

17. Hollywood Vampires in Budapest

Those two old troupers, would-be rock star Johnny Depp and 1970s’ hitmaker Alice Cooper visit Budapest as part of the ‘best bar band in the world’ who go by the name of Hollywood Vampires.

More details: Johnny Depp & Alice Cooper, Budapest Aréna, 18 July

18. Guns N’ Roses, Budapest

After their headline show at Glasto, Axl, Slash and their merry men take to the road, stopping off in Budapest.

More details: Guns N' Roses, Budapest Aréna, 19 July

19. Campus Festival, Debrecen

This long-established, student-friendly event fills Debrecen’s main park, Nagyerdő, with music and cultural entertainment on 40 stages.

More details: Campus Festival, Debrecen, 19 - 23 July

20. Bass Paradise, Budapest

A popular rock club in south Buda, Barba Negra moves away from its usual metal remit to offer three days of drum & bass, dubstep and similar rhythms.

More details: Bass Paradise, Barba Negra, 20 - 22 July

21. Valley of Arts, Kapolcs

Showcase of the thriving bohemian scene around the north shore of Lake Balaton, this ten-day event brings together artists, artisans and creatives of every stripe.

More details: Valley of Arts Festival, Kapolcs, 21 - 30 July

See here for all the Top Summer Festivals in Hungary.

Words by Peterjon Cresswell for Xpatloop.com
Peterjon has been researching the byways of Budapest for 30 years, extending his expertise across Europe to produce guidebooks for Time Out and his own website liberoguide.com