The fair season ends on 28 April 2019

Thematic gastronomic weeks at the fair

There are a great number of foods related to spring and Easter, and caterers prepare for this by offering dishes based on thematic weeks. Check out the stands for fasting foods, wild garlic and lamb dishes and for Easter bread.

Until 28th April Easter lamb weekLike bread, the lamb represents Jesus in the Easter menu. Of course, various folk customs are associated with this; not least of all because in rural Hungary, pigs were not slaughtered after the carnival. Thus, lamb became the first meat eaten in spring.
 

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

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

New venues: Vigadó tér, Duna-korzó, Fővám tér and Deák tér

Earlier happenings:

8th-14th April Wild garlic – fasting week

Wild garlic is often used in folk medicine for its appetizing and blood pressure-lowering effects. Its true significance lies in the fact that – at the end of winter and at the beginning of spring, when our pantries are already/still empty – it lends our foods flavour, aroma and freshness.

The period leading up to spring is about fasting. The Hungarian word for Easter (“Húsvét”) refers to this period too, or more specifically, to its end. Maybe the most exciting thing to marvel about is the endless richness of our gastronomic culture when it comes to meatless foods. Porridge like polenta, vegetable dishes and soups are not just tasty, but also healthy.

Thematic Weekend Programs

Easter preparation: decorating eggs with painting, metal elements, carving, lacework and stripes. Our greatest religious holiday is Easter. Visitors to Vigadó Square can learn about traditions and folk customs related to Easter and get to know the various egg-decorating techniques, along with their unique designs.

Date: 20-22 April 2019 11 am–5pm
Venue: Vigadó tér

Egg-painting techniques

Egg painting
Various motives from Somogy, Zala, Tolna, Baranya counties and from Transylvania and Southern Slovakia are applied on uniformly coloured, waxed eggs. Every region has its own cherished pattern. The flower pattern differs from region to region: it is cornflower in Nyírség, while many regions have the tulip.

Decorating eggs with metallic elements
Decorating eggs with metallic elements is practiced only in Hungary and in neighbouring regions with Hungarian populations. According to oral tradition, the eggs were made by farriers from the 1800s to prove their professional skills. They nailed metal parts – rims, but mostly horseshoes – on the blown-out eggs. They were highly esteemed gifts in the old days.

Carvings
While carving is the oldest technique – carved eggs were found in Avar graves – it is also less well-known or widespread, which is why it doesn’t have rich patterns. It was mainly done by men in antiquity by carving the patterns with a small knife.

Lace works
Beautiful lace works can be carved into eggs. The most common pattern to be used is the Halasi lace. This technique allows for carving extremely thin lines, which makes the egg truly laced.

Source: Budapestinfo.hu