Thanks to all involved over HUF 8.1 million was raised for UNICEF and more children's charities.



True to tradition this annual gala was a very international affair, uniting a rich mix of nationalities for an evening full of good vibes, valuable networking and amazing prizes
- reports Aniko Woods, Founder of How To Hungary, a regular guest at this XpatLoop.com event.

This much-loved fixture in Hungary's expat calendar went above and beyond to give guests a standout night of enjoyment while supporting nonprofits at XpatLoop's gala extravaganza.

Highlights included virtual fireworks & British bonfire, sparkling charity auctions, sizzling party band, dazzling dance performance, and 'Sexy Santa's Helpers' show at this incredible 5* venue.



Also there was a glittering photo wall, blazing DJ set, festive sing-a-long, fiery wine tasting contest and other flaming games to keep guests entertained throughout the action-packed party.

Exciting charity auction prizes included a Sir Anthony Hopkins artwork, gold jewelry, craft beer brewery tour, luxury ladies clothing, VIP treatment at BUD Airport, gifts from Irish Ambassador.



To get the gala dancing started, champion Erika Kelemen put on a jaw-dropping performance -  as expected given her multiple national and international dance competition wins.



The international menu featured luxury canapés, sushi variations, Wagyu beef, Lebanese lamb, Vietnamese rolls, Malaysian pies, US burgers, Indian curries, British treats, and Hungarian csoki.

Free-flowing drinks included sublime sparkling Sauska, G&Ts, Single-Malt Whiskies, Bloody Marys, a top wine selection from Bock and other friendly vintners, plus Viwa vitamin-water.

* See more Glittering Gala Photos by Marko Novkov here

* Brilliant Ball Pics by Marcus Schirrmacher-Gavallér are here

* Playful Party Portraits by PartyBooth's John Galvin are online here 



Jubilee Celebration of Evocative Entertainment, Happy Networking & Giving Back

In total the gala entertained around 200 people at this 'Merry Mikulás' themed celebration on Saturday 6 December, marking the 25th anniversary of Hungary's leading expat media portal.

A buzz of excitement was felt as guests ascended the Corinthia’s grand staircase, which led them past an enormous & gorgeous Xmas tree on the way up to the historic Grand Ballroom.

Santa hats added a festive touch to eveningwear that matched the elegance of the ballroom - which quickly filled to the brim with a colourful crowd from Budapest’s cosmopolitan community.



Glamorous First Impressions: Red Carpet Keepsakes & Exclusive Welcome Gifts

Upon arrival, guests were invited to enjoy a red carpet photo experience, receiving a personalised gala keepsake courtesy of PartyBooth 
- igniting an enthralling evening of elation, enjoyable engagement and meaningful giving!

To kick-start the season of goodwill, guests received several presents during registration
- the welcome vouchers and gifts ranged from cinema tickets to luxury fragrances, and from health benefits to free Mexican treats.



The evening burst into life during the deluxe welcome reception, which featured an exceptional array of fine wines from Villány by Bock, many opulent canapés crafted by Corinthia, and premium sparkling bubbly courtesy of Stefi Sauska (pictured below right).



Local VIPs attended as usual, including Elek Nagy the President of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce (pictured below). They were happy to chat with the top Hungarian vintners present, and many explored the excellent selection of fine wines available again this year.



Diplomatic guests included friendly attachés from embassies you’d expect, also from other countries ranging from Turkey to The Netherlands.

For instance the Deputy Ambassador of Ghana also joined in this year, all going to show the multicultural nature of this event and the wide-ranging reach of XpatLoop's portal.

Returning charities like the Red Cross and UNICEF were in the spotlight again to respectively raise awareness and funds for their inspiring work performed in Hungary.



Executive Director of UNICEF Hungary, Antónia Mészáros wrote later on social media:
“It was great fun last night at the Merry Mikulás Edition of the Xpat Charity Gala raising funds for UNICEF and other local charities.”

Valuable Gathering of Happy Hearts from Around the World

The sparkling welcome drinks led to bubbling conversations during the meet-and-greet reception as guests networked and socialised. As always, there were a multitude of introductions, happy reunions, and commercial contacts made among attendees.



Kornel Toth-Harsanyi, the CEO of Costes Group (pictured above) attended with his wife for the first time and gave glowing feedback. Another newbie to the annual gala was also impressed, as Anita Deák the Chief Operating Officer of the Gastro Business Club said afterwards:

“My first time attending this event was a highly positive and truly memorable experience! The organization, the participants, as well as the food, drinks and hospitality were all of an outstanding standard."

"I would also like to congratulate XpatLoop.com the organisers on their professional, detail-oriented work, which served an important shared purpose while providing a genuine community experience,” they added.



Karsten Zang the General Manager of Lufthansa Group in Hungary (pictured below) is a good example of a high-level guest who attended this event again.

"The Xpat Charity Party last Saturday was truly special - a great atmosphere, delicious food, and most importantly, wonderful people to share the evening with. Huge thanks for making it such a memorable event," he kindly emailed to say thanks afterwards. 



As the notable names above illustrate, a rich mix from Hungary’s business, cultural, educational, diplomatic, philanthropic and also spiritual circles were in attendance again.

Among those present once more were Rev. John D. Wilson of the Anglican Church in Budapest, and Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, Duncan Graham (pictured below left)  who once again stayed until the very end and clearly enjoyed the occasion.



Lighting Up Bonfire Night with VIP Speeches & Dazzling Dance Shows

With guests happily gathered in the ballroom, master of ceremonies Hans Peterson together with TV star Zsuzsa Demcsák officially welcomed everyone and introduced the event's guest of honour H.E. Justin McKenzie Smith.



When the British Ambassador to Hungary addressed guests, via a video presentation on the huge LED wall, he said sorry for being unable to attend and warmly declared he was there in spirit.

His Majesty's Ambassador went on to speak about the significance of this Bonfire Night event held annually by XpatLoop.com in Budapest, saying amongst other things:

"The bonfire is a beacon for the enduring values of community and generosity. Thank you for making this evening so memorable,” His Excellency graciously concluded.



Next up, Georgina Szilagyi the Country Director of British Council Hungary (pictured above) took to the stage to light the virtual bonfire. She also reflected on the tradition of this Bonfire Night event in Budapest, and why this year it was held when the ‘Hungarian Santa’ visits:

“This year, XpatLoop.com chose December 6th, Mikulás Day in Hungary, because it’s an occasion all about kindness, surprises, and joy for children".

"While many kids wake up to treats from Mikulás, there are others who sadly don’t share that experience. That’s why we’re bringing the expat community together tonight - to share in the local spirit of giving and help brighten the lives of children in need,” she continued.



Georgina followed-up to say, "It was an honour and a pleasure to support the Bonfire Night themed Mikulás edition of the Xpat Charity Gala. So great to see the Xpat community coming together again there for good causes to help locals in need".

"A huge thanks to the XpatLoop.com team for all their hard work on organising the event, their dedication and commitment to charity work making a real difference," she kindly added.

Next up on stage was Antónia Mészáros, the Director in Hungary of UNICEF, who made the connection between the bonfire displayed on the huge LED wall and the evening’s cause, saying on stage that all the charities involved strive to “brighten the lives of children in need”.



Antónia went on to say, “Many thanks for this opportunity to Stephen of XpatLoop, one of our dedicated UNICEF Champions and the mastermind behind so many unforgettable events!”

Naturally she spoke beautifully about the work of UNICEF, and then received a symbolic bouquet of flowers on behalf of all the charities involved from key sponsors of the event

- including Ferenc Kis-Szölgyémi, the GM of B+N Referencia, the gala's Platinum Sponsor.



Event organiser Stephen Linfitt received a cheer as he was called up on stage, where he humbly yet warmly thanked the MC's, the venue, sponsors, partners and supporters, and guests for filling the ballroom to capacity.

Then via an interactive prize give-away - featuring North Face clothing thanks to the owner of Mid Atlantic Films – Stephen encouraged guests to join-in the raffle supporting UNICEF to win amazing prizes.

Bonfire Spirit in Budapest: Celebrating British Tradition & Supporting Hungarian Charities



The British tradition of Bonfire night is a celebration of the foiling of a plot in 1605 involving Guy Fawkes to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London - in recent years a mask representing him was made famous in the film 'V for Vendetta'.
 
With the bonfire burning bright thanks to returning event partner Special Effects, MC Hans transformed into Guy Fawkes to perform a traditional Bonfire Night rhyme in fine style - for which he received a great round of applause, and some surprised looks from event newcomers.

Then, together with TV celebrity Zsuzsa Demcsák - who joyfully participated again with her trademark energy, professionalism and good sense of humour - MC Hans lead the evening’s Live Charity Auction.



Star prizes included ‘priceless’ gala premiere tickets for 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', a Presidential Suite stay at Corinthia Budapest, and most notably an artwork by Sir Anthony Hopkins featuring a stray Hungarian cat from Kolibri Art Studio.

More wonderful items were donated again by Dr Rose Private Hospital and Thermal Hotel Visegrád, with representatives of each joining in to present their prizes on stage.



Bidding for Charity Around the Bonfire

This year one of the star prizes in the Silent Auction was a Presidential Suite stay at Dorothea Hotel, Budapest, Autograph Collection. This element of the evening was innovatively presented electronically via tablets on all gala tables – a nice touch arranged with the support of RentIT.

Other hotel prizes included a package from Spirit Hotel ***** Sárvár, two nights at Zala Spring Golf Resort, and a luxury stay at Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel.



More valuable prizes were donated by Budapest Marriott, Matild Palace Budapest, plus there were goodie gags from VisitDubai, and wonderful whiskies provided by the Irish Ambassador. 

Raffle winners took home a great range of goodies, like a stay at Brody House, with tickets sold and money collected all evening by the wonderful UNICEF team.


 
There were so many other kind prize supporters that the space here isn’t sufficient to name them all, yet all are greatly appreciated by the organisers, prize winners and charities - please follow this link to see the full prize list.

Free-Flowing Feel-Good Vibes, Fine Wines & High Spirits



To ensure good cheer all evening, a wide range of drinks were available, for instance guests could start with a G&T and taste a great selection of single malts thanks to WhiskyNet.



Over 25 varieties of wine were poured personally for guests all evening by talented and affable wine-makers, namely:

Hilltop from Neszmély, Koch Winery from Hajós-Bajai & Villány, Tamás Dúzsi Winery from Szekszárd, Polgár Family Winery from Villány, Spiegelberg Artisan Winery from Somló, Szeremley Wine House from Badacsony, Kisbaka Family Wine Estate from Baj.



Attendees were also invited to challenge their taste buds in a wine tasting contest to win prizes from Bortodoor - plus guests could try their luck at roulette and blackjack for fun (not money) with Las Vegas Casino.



This year there were two draft craft beers plus a special selection of bottled IPA’s from the wonderful Beer People, Bloody Marys were served by the cool Ruin Brew crew, and to top it off there was high quality local pálinka Agárdi Distillery.



An extra touch this year was a selection of fine wine on gala tables from Liszkay Winery. Lovely flowerMe decorations adorned the tables too, along with a selection of Vitamin Water from Viwa.

Also on every gala table was a bottle of super premium quality Unicum Riserva (in picture below), plus there was a special Unicum Orange tasting station by Zwack.



Soft drink options for guests also included premium coffee from DeLonghi for those needing to ‘wake up’ after sampling aforementioned harder options.



A returning 'relaxing touch' to this event was back & shoulder Thai Massage for guests at gala tables - this optional extra performed upon request resulted in many smiles and good vibes.

Bright Bonfire Night Sponsors Improve Lives of Local Children



The Britannica International School, Budapest the longest-established British school in Budapest, supported the event again as the Gold Sponsor, with the Principal Neil McGarry joining-in as a long-term loyal partner of this annual event, who said:

"I have been coming to the Xpat Charity Bonfire event for nearly ten years. This one was my absolute favourite. Great food, fantastic drinks, superbly organised by XpatLoop.com and all for great causes."

"I made some super new friends and was even lucky enough to win one of the amazing prizes in the raffle supporting UNICEF Hungary," Neil added.



More organisations involved with improving the lives of children also participated, including The British International School Budapest as Silver Sponsor of the event.

Chris Russell, the Interim Principal at BISB said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the XpatLoop Charity Party again". BISB is part of the Nord Anglia family of premium schools which champion the rights of the child as well as embedding UN Sustainable Development Goals.

"As the premium British International School in Budapest, we value powerful collaborations, and, like XpatLoop, we are proud to have unique partnerships with local and world-class organisations such as UNICEF. So it was a pleasure to sponsor this event again and be among other like-minded people in the community," Chris said.



Global Delicacies Galore to Satisfy Every Taste

As the talented band played live music, guests tucked into a great range of international dishes, which followed the luxury canapés by Corinthia of Crab & Prawn Profiteroles, Smoked Salmon, Beef Tartar with Quail Egg, and five more varieties including veggie options.



The slow-cooked Wagyu by Wafu Izakaya proved to be a huge hit, as was the jewel-toned nigiri sushi selection by Ikigai.

According to guests, a star of the great range of dishes available was the lamb rice with dips and more by Leila’s Authentic Lebanese Restaurant (pictured below).



Another popular choice with guests again this time - not so surprisingly given the UK's favourite dish these days is tikka masala - were the Indian chicken and vegetarian dishes by Indigo Restaurant.

As always there was great British fare from Tesco - plus a range of international salads, which paired well with the freshly-grilled halloumi cheese from Hajdúsajt.

The Vietnamese spring rolls, summer rolls, and mango salads by Toan where very well received, as were delights from the Malaysian Embassy Budapest.



The mini-burgers by Budapest Marriott Hotel were a great success in terms of both 5* quality and popularity, and also guests again loved the Mexican tastes from Iguana.

The well-rounded menu meant non-meat eaters were elated with the vegan Hortobágy pancakes, vegan tartlets and more from Vegan Garden.

Flaming Birthday Cake, Famous Local Crêpes & New Sweet Treats



A delightful birthday cake for XpatLoop was provided again by Cloud9 Desserts, alongside that were eponymous 'palacsinta' (crêpes) from Gundel Restaurant.

“It was a pleasure to be part of this special event! Congratulations on raising such an impressive amount for great causes in Hungary," wrote the Gundel representative afterwards.

"Thank you for the excellent cooperation throughout. It was absolutely worthwhile, we are grateful for the opportunity,” they kindly continued.



This year there were luxury handmade bonbons from Chocolatejam – Chocolate Shop, and also Cafe Muse showcased a range of cakes for the first time at this event.

Plus, as an extra indulgence there were jam filled doughnuts plus pecan nut and lovely maple syrup pastries again from Bronze Sponsor Tesco.

“It's always a pleasure to support this great charity event, which is a well-established and important part of the expat community’s annual calendar,” said Martin Coulam, Operations Director of Tesco Hungary.



A new charity featured this year was the Heartfelt English Charity, an international volunteering initiative in Hungary that offers free English language lessons to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and they engaged well with guests via a lovely colourfully display.



President of the Heartfelt English Charity, Ágota Székely, said, "This event gave us a valuable opportunity to raise awareness and connect with people who care about making a difference. The generosity and positive energy of the evening was truly inspirational,"

Ágota went on to say from her heart, "We felt honoured to be included in XpatLoop's annual gala this year, it was a truly wonderful experience!".



Burning Up the Dancefloor with Globetrotting Party Band

Mega party group Just Show Band played pop and rock hits during the evening's dance party slot after the Live Auction, attracting plenty of guests to enjoy a boogie by the bonfire.

Pro-dancer Erika and her partner stayed on the dancefloor after their awesome show and invited guests to groove together - which produced epic moments as Erika is a renowned dance instructor, voted Dance Teacher of the Year in Hungary.



The fun and games continued for guests who didn’t fancy a dance, and many enjoyed the PhotoBooth experience with friends both old and new.



DJ Woods rounded off the night superbly by filling the ballroom with top tunes to which more guests danced until the house lights were raised and it was time to say goodnight!



Remember, Remember: Bright Bonfire Night Reflections

From outstanding live entertainment - including the chic show by entertainers from Vibe Budapest, performing in 'Sexy Santa's Helpers' outfits - to the popular silent auction, this year's gala was bolder than ever, and guests were more generous too.

Again the XpatLoop.com community showed up in style, and this time went the extra mile to smash the fundraising record for local charities at this special 25th anniversary of the portal.

Summing up the essence of the evening, Robert Zou the Secretary General of the Hungarian Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said “It was fabulous, what a special evening!”



Mr Zou continued, “XpatLoop’s charity gala shows how strong expat networks can support both personal connections and professional collaboration, contributing positively to Hungary’s international business environment as well as the local community”.



Ending on a High Note of Gratitude

Kudos is due to all involved, particularly to Melinda Szekesvari from Team XpatLoop who deserves a special shout-out for her commitment to the annual cause.

The great team effort was recognised by guests too, and feedback was very positive again, such as from Michele Orzan the President of EuCham - European Chamber:

“A thousand congratulations for a great Bonfire Night event again! You always arrange exceptionally successful events, thank you all, such a great team!”



Linda Bereczki, Deputy Director at Red Cross Budapest, said, "We deeply appreciate guests openness to learning more about our mission at Red Cross and their readiness to extend support".

"We also wish to express our sincere gratitude to XpatLoop.com for the gracious invitation to be present at this distinguished event,” she also kindly said.



The final word goes to the venue, with Andrea Márton a Director at Corinthia Budapest saying:

“Thank you for the opportunity to be part of such a lovely event. It was a pleasure to be there and experience the wonderful charitable spirit. We at the hotel were delighted to host and contribute prizes, and even happier this annual event raised a new record amount.

Congratulations on the wonderful results and for organising such a great event, your efforts are truly appreciated and admired.”



Report by Aniko Woods 

Photos by Marko Novkov, Marcus Schirrmacher-Gavallér, John Galvin

See What Happened @ XpatLoop's Charity Events: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 
2013,  2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002