The Budapest Advent and Christmas Fair awaits its visitors with a rich gastronomy selection, a jury-selected array of handicrafts and applied arts products, as well as festive events from 10 November to 31 December 2017 on Vörösmarty Square, one of the most beautiful main squares in the capital.

This year, the advent mood is spreading from Vörösmarty Square via Váci Street to Fővám Square! On the Pest side of the Liberty Bridge, a cosy Christmas Fair can be visited between 17 November and 24 December.

The Budapest Advent and Christmas Fair on Vörösmarty Square, which is listed among the 10 most beautiful fairs in Europe, offers high-quality products and highly rated cultural and children’s programmes.

The event, which attracts 800 thousand tourists each year, is pleased to provide an opportunity for high-quality entertainment to guests from abroad and inhabitants of the city as well.

Here, values is presented to the audience in an entertaining, tangible form

The fair will feature objects of applied art and folk art, in both the traditional and a modern, re-thought format, as well as creations from various designers. The secret to excellent quality is that the highest-quality products are selected by a traditionally independent professional jury. These products, whether handicrafts, gifts or fashionable and sophisticated gastronomic specialties, can then be presented and sold at the event.

Here, the selection of traditional Hungarian market cuisine is complemented by special, delicious dishes made from local, carefully selected ingredients, as well as hand-crafted sweets and drinks.

On Vörösmarty Square, the sellers behind the counters have been acknowledged for decades in Hungary and abroad as well, so they represent the gastronomical and cultural values of the Carpathian Basin and the traditions surrounding the Christmas holiday cycle with mission consciousness and authenticity. Visitors can enjoy gastronomy shows and tastings in the fair’s “Hütte(s)”.

During the fair, topic-based gastronomy, which will last for several weeks, will tempt visitors with an attractive selection of dishes: goose, stuffed cabbage, wild game and fish, as well as not-to-miss dishes connected to Lent and Hanukkah. And you can taste all this!

The matching drinks can also be selected from the offers of the Hungarian wine regions. Hungarian wine is authentic and accessible, so it is an exciting experience for foreign and Hungarian tourists to visit a Hungarian wine region – but during the fair, wine regions will pay a visit to Vörösmarty Square.

In addition to the traditional kürtöskalács (chimney cake), oven-baked flat breads, and roast chestnuts, as well as artisanal chocolates and marzipan treats, the multi-layered “flódni”, beigli, strudel and ginger bread will also be on sale.

During the fair, guests can take part in nearly 160 high-quality programs. On the weekdays and during the weekend, the stage will host folk music, jazz, crossover, alternative, blues and soul concerts. On the weekends, children can enjoy puppet, dance and musical performances.

Children with their families or in groups can prepare items for advent: Starting in early December, the handicrafts playhouse is open from Friday to Sunday, and later in the month all day on weekdays as well (in the morning and in the afternoon). It offers children a chance to try out candle-making, baking gingerbread, beading, felt-making and basket-weaving in a heated wooden house.

The spirit of advent will be evoked by several other events as well: candles will be lit on the giant wreath within the framework of a festive ceremony, and visitors can learn about the secrets of various professions in open workshops.

Information about the Budapest Advent and Christmas Fair on Vörösmarty Square in 2017:

The fair season: 10 November 2017 – 31 December 2017
Handicraft fair: 10 November – 29 December 2017
Eateries: 10 November 2017 – 31 December 2017

Opening hours for craftspeople
Sunday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

On 24 December: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
On 25 and 26 December: noon – 6:00 p.m.
on 29 December: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Opening hours for eateries:
Sunday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

On 24 December: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
On 25 and 26 December: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
On 31 December: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m.

Stage programmes:
10 November 2017 – 3 December 2017
on Fridays 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m./8:00 p.m.

4 December 2017 – 27 December 2017
on weekdays 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (Saturday) and 8:00 p.m. (Sunday)

Playhouse (folk art, e.g. making straw figures, door decorations, Advent wreaths, ginger bread, etc.) – a free program.

10 November 2017 – 3 December 2017
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

4 December 2017 – 23 December 2017
Every day: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Information about the Budapest Advent and Christmas Fair on Fővám Square in 2017:

The fair season: 17 November 2017 – 24 December 2017

Opening hours for craftspeople
from Sunday until Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
On 24 December: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Opening hours for eateries:
Sunday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
On 24 December: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Stage programmes:
17 November 2017 – 23 December 2017
To be determined

Handicraftsmen

Here, the artisans and artists themselves sell their own handicrafts making the perfect presents. This means that shoppers not only have the chance to browse the items but they also meet the creative personalities behind the products.

The smile of the craftsman or woman, a deep knowledge of the souvenir, the sense of trust and a real understanding of a personalized gift: these are the extras that make shopping at the fair on Vörösmarty Square so special.

Craftspeople offer their wares at the fair at the same price as they do all year round. They constantly track trends, blending and enhancing modern forms and artistic motifs with their own unique styles.

More: Budapest Info