Here is a lineup for this year:

Debrecen Drive
Date: 24-26 May 2024
Venue: around the Nagyerdei Stadium

Debrecen Drive is the largest automotive event in the region, where participants not only get to touch the vehicles, but also enjoy serious demonstrations and other activities. There are usually 150-200 show cars from nearly 30 brands, many of which are not even in the showrooms.

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.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/debrecen-drive-2024/

Debrecziner Gourmet Festival
Date: 14-16 June 2024
Venue: Great Forest Park

The 8th Debrecziner Gourmet Festival will take place in the Great Forest (Nagyerdő) between the 14th – 16th of June 2024.

Restaurants and bistros from all over the country will come to Debrecen, alongside top pastry shops, exciting artisan breweries and coffee houses to show off their best.

In addition to the gastronomic offerings, there will also be a strong musical line-up.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/debrecens-gourmet-festival-2024/

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.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/campus-festival-2024/

Debrecen Wine and Jazz Days
Date: 8-11 August 2024
Venue: Great Forest Park

Hungary’s third largest wine event and the largest jazz festival in terms of the number of participating artists. You can taste around 400 wines from more than half a hundred Hungarian wineries, and take part in exclusive wine tastings of Debrecen City Wines.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/wine-and-jazz-festival-2024/

Debrecen Flower Carnival
Date: 14-20 August 2024
Venue: several locations around the city

More than 1,500 Hungarian and foreign carnival parade participants and about half a million live flowers arrive at the Debrecen Flower Carnival, taking place between the 14th and 20th of August every year. With a 56-year tradition, the carnival is now far more than just a parade of spectacular floral compositions and international artistic ensembles, – it is a week-long colourful programme of events where visitors can find the entertainment that appeals to them most.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/debrecen-flower-carnival-2024/

3×3 Basketball World Tour and 3×3 Basketball World Championship
Date: 24 August – 1 September 2024
Venue: Kossuth Square

Continuing the annual tradition, Debrecen will welcome the finest talents in the 3×3 basketball world during the last week of August. Alongside the World Championships, the city’s main square, set against the stunning backdrop of the Reformed Great Church, will host the World Tour Masters, showcasing the top-ranked professional teams.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/the-3×3-basketball-tournament/

Debreczen Zamat Festival
Date: 13-15 September 2024
Venue: Nagyerdei Stadium’s northern events area

The largest gastronomic event in the region is set to return this year at Nagyerdei Stadium, promising an exceptional atmosphere, numerous exhibitors, and diverse programs. Attendees can indulge in delectable treats from the top local restaurants, complemented by beverages from Hungary’s renowned palinka distilleries. The event will showcase the country’s culinary luminaries, with the ambiance enhanced by special star guests.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/debreczeni-zamat-fesztival/

European Women’s Handball Championship
Date: 25 November – 10 December 2024
Venue: Főnix Arena

The 2024 EHF European Women’s Handball Championship marks a historic moment in the sport, being the inaugural tournament hosted in three countries, establishing itself as the largest women’s European Championship to date. This groundbreaking event unites three nations, each with distinct cultures, bound together by a shared passion for handball. The tournament’s logo mirrors this unity, as the dynamic ball incorporates the colors of the three participating countries – red, white, and green.

More information: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/european-womens-handball-championship/

Debrecen Christmas Fair 2024
Date: 30 November – 24 December 2024
Venue: downtown Debrecen

The Debrecen Advent, honored as one of the charming small Christmas markets in Europe in 2022, is set to enchant visitors for nearly a month. Over the course of four weeks, attendees can enjoy a craft fair, diverse catering stalls, open-air concerts, family-friendly activities, and the ever-popular ice rink

More details: https://debrecen4u.hu/event/debrecen-christmas-fair/

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The Romanian-Hungarian programme, which resulted in the completion of the Csokonai Fórum, will soon be completed. István Puskás, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, said that the initiative had helped strengthen the relationship between Debrecen and Oradea and the two border regions. 

The Csokonai Fórum, the new cultural space, was inaugurated last August, and since then, the theatre and the city have managed to occupy it. The theatrical facility has been realised through the project “EduCultCentre” (ROHU446), “Romanian-Hungarian Cross-border Training Centre and Cultural and Historical Heritage Treasury”, within the Interreg V-A Romania-Hungary Programme, which will be completed at the end of this year.  

“In the field of theatre culture, we have strengthened cooperation between the two cities and the two border regions. Thanks to this, the Szigligeti Theatre in Oradea has been renewed, and the Csokonai Forum in Debrecen has been completed, which is much more than a theatre building; it is also a community space,” he said.

The partners in the competition, which is now closing, include the city council, the Csokonai Theatre, the Oradea Museum and the Bihor County Library. 

The programme aims to create community spaces, strengthen cross-border cooperation and enrich shared cultural values.

“ The theatre and theatre arts communities of the two cities and the two regions have worked and are working together in various forms. From literary translation, drama translation and theatre workshops to the virtual exhibition of the treasury, a series of sub-projects have been or are being implemented,” the deputy pointed out.

The European Union largely funded the project with more than EUR 10 million.

Source: debrecen.hu

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The largest room of the Csokonai Fórum, the Zoltán Latinovits Room, has become the new cultural incubator. The auditorium, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and can seat 350 people, was built thanks to an EU grant.

“The project aimed to bring together the various amateur and professional performing arts and theatre communities in the region in this incubation space. We want to launch new ideas, new initiatives, new projects that can help the cultural communities of the region,” said Deputy Mayor of Debrecen István Puskás.

The project was part of a group of proposals; the other was closed on 18 December 2023 at the institution. The Csokonai Forum was created due to these projects, and a wide range of theatrical activities and communities were established beyond the institution.

“I think we can already say that the Csokonai Forum is fulfilling the role to which it was dedicated. On the one hand, it is a quality theatre space, but it is also more than a theatre, as it serves as a community space and meeting point,” he added.

A virtual exhibition has been created for the project, which is now ending. It involves using so-called VR glasses, which allow visitors to learn about theatre culture in Hungary and Romania.

Source: debrecen.hu

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The exhibition entitled Határidő (Border Age), which opened at Modem on the 16th of December 2023, was inspired by the fact that both Debrecen artists are 70 years old.

Zoltán Fátyol and István Tamus have witnessed significant historical, political, economic, cultural and technological changes over the past decades.  But their characteristically different visual worlds show traces of these changes with varying intensity.

Until recently, István Tamus’s reproduced prints have usually been concerned with the representation of reality, and his objects often point back to places, events and characters in his life. For decades, Zoltán Fátyol’s paintings, collages and assemblages have argued for the self-existence of art and its detachability from time and space, pointing towards an alternative model of reality.

This exhibition of the most important local artists does not seek to provide a complete overview of their oeuvre, but it does seek to provide an insight into the dominant themes, motifs and technical experiments that have defined the careers of these two artists who have different backgrounds, by juxtaposing major groups of images.

István Puskás, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, said: “This is a day of celebration not only for the artists but also for Modem and the people of Debrecen.”

The exhibition will be on display at the Modem until the 11th of February 2024.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu

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The last International Nativity Assembly was held in Debrecen in 2019. The event with a long history has already been marked as intellectual cultural heritage. 

‘We expect nearly 200 participants, with the participation of 10-11 groups. Primarily groups from Hajdú-Bihar county and the neighbouring counties, as well as a group from across the border, from the settlement of Csedreg,’ said Péter Gyöngy, Head of the Sándor Makoldi Center of the National Institute of Culture.

The National Institute of Culture has been cooperating with the city of Debrecen for three years. They see it as their mission to support the initiatives and cultural activities behind which communities stand.

‘It is very important for us to participate in the implementation, draw those professional and methodological conclusions and lessons and share them with an entire cultural and public education network, ‘ pointed out László Angyal, the county director of the National Institute of Culture in Hajdú-Bihar.

At Tuesday’s press conference, István Puskás spoke about how Advent in Debrecen is more than a whirlwind of fairs. According to the deputy mayor, the Nativity Assembly is a program of special importance for the city.

‘This is such an important living tradition of Debrecen and Hungarian folk culture, the preservation of which is a matter of our hearts, so we can help keep this tradition alive, not only in the city but also in the region, ‘ he emphasised.

The opening ceremony will be held on the 8th of December at the Karakter 1517 Bookstore and Café. The nativity groups will present themselves at the Vojtina Puppet Theater the following day.

Source: dehir.hu

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From the 3rd of December, the first Sunday of Advent, until the 6th of January 2024, tram lines 1 and 2 will be dressed up in festive costumes.In addition, on Tuesday, the 5th December, during the Santa Claus tram event, the 502 light tram will run according to a special timetable.

Departure times of the light trams from the Main Railway Station (Nagyállomás):

3rd of December 2023:

Line 1: 

5:26 p.m., 6:14 p.m., 7:02 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 8:38 p.m., 9:26 p.m., 10:20 p.m.

Line 2: 

5:56 p.m., 6:56 p.m., 7:56 p.m., 8:56 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.

During the school term, on working days:

Line 1: 

4:36  a.m, 5:26 a.m., 6:10 a.m., 6:58 a.m., 7:46 a.m., 8:38 a.m., 9:34 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:26 a.m., 12:22  p.m., 1:14  p.m., 2:02  p.m., 2:50  p.m., 3:40  p.m., 4:30  p.m., 5:24  p.m., 6:34  p.m., 7:16  p.m., 8:20  p.m., 8:52  p.m., 9:40  p.m., 10:36  p.m.

Line 2: 04:04  a.m, 05:08  a.m, 06:06  a.m, 07:02  a.m, 07:54  a.m, 08:58  a.m, 09:54  a.m, 10:50  a.m, 11:46  a.m, 12:42  p.m., 1:36  p.m., 2:28  p.m., 3:30  p.m., 4:34  p.m., 5:28  p.m., 6:18  p.m., 7:10  p.m., 8:10  p.m., 9:10  p.m., 10:14  p.m.

During school holidays, on working days:

Line 1: 

04:50 a.m., 05:38 a.m., 07:04 a.m., 08:00 a.m., 08:48 a.m., 10:24 a.m., 11:12 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 12:48 p.m., 1:44 p.m., 2:40 p.m., 4:32 p.m., 5:34 p.m., 6:14 p.m., 6:54 p.m., 7:40 p.m., 9:16 p.m., 10:06 p.m., 10:50 p.m.

Line 2: 

03:24 a.m., 04:28 a.m., 05:20 a.m., 06:12 a.m., 07:00 a.m., 07:56 a.m., 08:52 a.m., 09:48 a.m., 10:44 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 12:36 a.m., 1:32 p.m., 2:28 p.m., 3:24 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 5:18 p.m., 6:28 p.m., 7:22 p.m., 8:22 p.m., 9:22 p.m., 10:30 p.m.

On public holidays and days off:

Line 1: 

04:36 a.m., 05:26 a.m., 06:14 a.m., 07:02 a.m., 07:50 a.m., 08:38 a.m., 09:26 a.m., 10:14 a.m., 11:02 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 12:38 p.m., 1:26 p.m., 2:14 p.m., 3:02 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 4:38 p.m., 5:26 p.m., 6:14 p.m., 7:02 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 8:38 p.m., 9:26 p.m.,10:20 p.m.

Line 2: 

04:48 a.m., 05:44 a.m., 06:44 a.m., 07:44 a.m., 08:44 a.m., 09:44 a.m., 10:44 a.m., 11:44 a.m., 12:44 p.m., 1:44 p.m., 2:44 p.m., 3:44 p.m., 4:44 p.m., 5:44 p.m., 6:44 p.m., 7:44 p.m., 8:44 p.m., 9:44 p.m., 10:44 p.m.

Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Facebook (Debrecen városa)

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An exhibition of postcards of Józsefné Steiner was opened in the Csapókert community centre on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the writing of the Hungarian national anthem.

At the opening of the exhibition, Edina Szilágyi, the district’s local government representative, said that it is a pleasure to have this unusual exhibition in the Csapókert Community House, as it would give everyone the opportunity to learn about the life and work of Ferenc Kölcsey (writer of he Hungarian national anthem). 

István Puskás, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, said that this year we are celebrating several anniversaries in which Debrecen has been deeply involved.

Among others, the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Hungarian national anthem, and the 200th birthday of Imre Madács and Sándor Petőfi. They also wanted to link these with the anniversary of the birth of the poet Mihály Csokonai Vitéz, as part of the Debrecen Literary Days.

“This year we are also celebrating the 250th birthday of Mihály Csokonai Vitéz, which we will commemorate with a number of events around his birth. In the first two weeks of November we will try to raise awareness of this great legacy. This is a great opportunity to look back on the events of this year as we approach the end of the year. These are important years to remember,” István Puskás said.

Source: debrecen.hu

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Kata Bereczki, painter, graduated from the Hungarian University of Fine Arts and lives and works in Nagykovácsi.

The pictures are figurative and often tell stories.

“Most of the time, I deal with subjects that many of us can relate to and that evoke memories in many of us. The facelessness of people’s faces helps me to make the pictures and their stories not related to specific people but to allow each viewer’s imagination to add its own characters to them,”  the artist says of his works.

The exhibition will be open and free of charge until the 24th of November during the opening hours of the Kölcsey Centre, daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until 7 p.m. during evening events.

Source: dehir.hu

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A new data-based installation in the pyramid will turn the chronicle of the fires that shaped the city’s history into a special monument.

In the former St Andrew’s Church and the Glass Pyramid, which commemorates Verestorony, the stories of Debrecen’s firefighters of the time come to life, showing that the rebirth of the city and the human spirit is possible in any time, giving strength to the everyday lives of those living today.

The history of Debrecen was fundamentally shaped by fires, which were frequent and devastating until the middle of the 19th century. The city of Debrecen, together with the Reformed parish of the Great Church, decided to commemorate these fires, reminding its citizens that “just as the city was rebuilt from the ashes after the fires, so the soul is reborn in Christ”. Based on records and written documents from the Debrecen archives, researchers and alumni artists from the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME), one of the region’s leading design universities and a major centre of innovation, have created a data-driven installation to tell the story of the city’s fires. The memorial was created using the tools of design, with a design mindset that ran through the creative process from assessing the potential audience to conceptualising the design. The resultant work can multiply the power of traditional artworks to connect us to the past and our stories through multiple layers, and has a significant identity-building power for all generations.

The installation was created on the basis of minutes and written documents found in the Debrecen archives, as well as data and maps digitised from a study by Dr. Jenő Vitéz Roncsik. The raw materials and the monolithic layers of glass sheets that make up the data object are not only a reminder of the tragedies of the past, but also a symbol of determination and rebirth. Reflecting the renewal of the city, the work also incorporates the materials of reconstruction, with wood, glass, metal and concrete complementing each other to convey this defining narrative of the city’s history, with the message that the city and its inhabitants have always been able to recover and find new strength after adversity.

It also reveals the variety and spatial extent of the fires that have accompanied the citizens of the city over the centuries. The work of art has been placed in the memorial of the Verestorony, destroyed by fire in 1802, where visitors can learn about the history of both the tower and the fires. The work was created by artist Olga Kocsi and researcher Mihály Minkó.

At the end of the summer, an installation by artist Erik Mátrai was placed on the top of the Glass Pyramid, symbolising rebirth and resurrection, like the phoenix bird on the coat of arms of the Reformed Church and the city. The two works of art together, complementing each other, symbolize the city that has been burnt down several times and the life reborn in Christ.

“Vöröstorony” – the creators of the artwork at the top of the Glass Pyramid:

Artist Erik Mátrai
Zalán Adorján

Creators of the artwork on the top of the Glass Pyramid:

Data Physicalization: Olga Kocsi (MOME alumni), Mihály Minkó (MOME Innovation Centre)
Project Manager: Natália Pass (MOME Innovation Centre)
Design: Olga Kocsi
Programming: Dávid Mórász
Wood: Fanni Hegedűs (MOME alumni)
Metal: Előd Halász (MOME alumni)
Concrete: by Olga Kocsi, with the support of VPI Kft.
Glass: János Gyula Szegedi, Piroska Szilágyi Szegediné

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu

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A day of Japanese traditions and martial arts was held at the DEMKI Youth House. The main organiser and face of the programme was Tibor Balogh, editor of the Budo Art website, who has lectured in Debrecen before.

Tibor Balogh became engaged with the culture of a faraway country at the age of 13. As he recalls, it was then that he became interested in Eastern martial arts and started to study wing-tsun kungfu. He moved to England in 2008, and it was there that his deeper interest in the Japanese art of sword drawing (IAIDO) was sparked in 2013. He also collects Japanese swords.

The event also allowed participants to learn more about kyudo, the art of archery, and to watch a demonstration. They were also able to learn about the history of the bokuto, or wooden sword, and also to walk through the evolution of the beautiful cubas, the ornate crossguards of Japanese swords.

The karate master Simizu Nana, who lives in Hungary, spoke about cultural differences from a Japanese perspective, and Tibor Balogh gave a presentation on fibre weapons. At the end of the day, Antal Prikkel spoke about naginata, the Japanese long-handled blade, which is a traditional Japanese fibre weapon, and also introduced the participants to one of the branches of Japanese swordsmanship, the katori shinto ryu.

Deputy Mayor of Debrecen and the main patron of the event István Puskás said that in Debrecen, there are no two ways about it when it comes to meeting other cultures, and thanks to this event, the knowledge of Japanese culture will be enhanced in-depth and in substance.

József Takács, President of the Hungarian-Japanese Friendship Society, said that the society was founded 36 years ago, and its mission is to introduce as wide a segment of Japanese culture as possible to Hungarians.

Tibor Balogh recommended the Budo Art website which already offers 200 translations of Japanese swords and culture, making it the largest site in Hungary for learning about this topic.

Source: dehir.hu 

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