In this 10 + 1 quick question exclusive, Gerendai gives his personal recommendations for visitors, shares what still excites him after decades running Sziget, and explains how feedback has helped shaped this year's festival.

From bringing back the original 'Sziget Spirit' to new sustainability initiatives, and from the festival's hidden venues to the challenges of extreme heat, dust and the record-low Danube, Károly shares his thoughts openly with us all.

1. Which elements of the original 'Sziget Spirit' have you brought back?

The core elements of openness, freedom and diversity, as they defined the festival from the very beginning. You know, Sziget has always been so much more than a music festival.

It's a shared community experience where different cultures, ideas, and people come together. It was important to me to restore that sense of a welcoming, inspiring, and creative world where everyone can create lasting memories.

This year we also want to place greater emphasis on community and civil society initiatives, which have always been an essential part of the festival's identity.

2. Which nationalities will you welcome in the greatest numbers this year?

Sziget is probably the most international festival in Europe, with visitors from all over the world. Traditionally, our biggest international audiences come from the Netherlands and the UK.

We also welcome large numbers of visitors from France, Italy, and Germany. In recent years, we've also seen growing interest from neighbouring countries.

One of Sziget's greatest strengths is its international character, bringing together people from a very wide range of cultures in one place.

At the same time, we're placing a stronger focus on attracting Hungarian festivalgoers this year, because Sziget is at its best when local and international visitors create this unique community together.

3. You're known as an innovator, so what new features can visitors expect this year?

There certainly are new additions this year, however our goal isn't to introduce flashy attractions for their own sake.

We're focusing on bringing back the adventurous and spontaneous atmosphere that made Sziget so special in the first place.

We want visitors to feel they're stepping into a multi-layered world, not simply attending a series of concerts.

Elements that have always been central to Sziget's identity are being strengthening by expanding our cultural and community programmes, and putting greater emphasis on the smaller, hidden venues that make exploring the Island of Freedom such a rewarding experience.

4. Beyond the headline acts, which festival attractions do you recommend most
– especially for those thinking of attending for the first time?

I always say you can't truly experience Sziget just through the Main Stage line-up. The headline concerts are obviously a huge attraction, but the real Sziget experience begins when you start exploring the Island.

For first-time visitors, my best advice is not to stick to a rigid schedule. Leave time to wander, discover the smaller stages, enjoy the unique cultural pop-ups and visit the civil society venues. The incredible variety has always been the heart and soul of this festival.

5. What steps are you taking to handle extreme heat, the drought and dust?

Extreme weather has become an increasingly important challenge in recent years, so managing heat and dust has been a top priority in our preparations. Creating a safe and comfortable environment for tens of thousands of visitors every day is absolutely essential.

To minimise dust while keeping our environmental impact as low as possible, we're continuously testing and introducing effective solutions.

These include covering the ground along major walkways and high-traffic areas, optimising our watering schedule, and maintaining the site continuously before the festival opens. We're also using a specialised dust-binding treatment to reduce airborne particles.

To help visitors cope with the heat, we've significantly increased the number of shaded rest areas and expanded the network of free drinking water stations.

We're also placing a strong emphasis on clear communication about our well-prepared medical teams, just in case they're needed.

At the same time, given the ongoing drought, we're carefully balancing visitor comfort with responsible water use and our long-term sustainability goals.

6. What feedback from festivalgoers has influenced changes to Sziget this year?

Visitor feedback plays a vital role in shaping Sziget. One key thing we've recognised is that our audience has become slightly narrower in recent years, meaning we'd like to reconnect with a broader age range.

One of Sziget's greatest strengths has always been its ability to bring together different generations and cultures, creating a place where young people, parents, long-time festivalgoers, and first-time visitors all feel at home.

We also heard clearly from many Gen Z visitors that partying around the clock can be exhausting, so we're introducing more spaces and amenities dedicated to relaxation and downtime.

Another recurring message was that the connection between Sziget and Budapest could be much stronger. We've always believed the festival and the city enhance one another.

Budapest provides an extraordinary setting, while Sziget brings international attention that strengthens the city's global reputation. We want to celebrate that relationship much more prominently.

For instance, this year we've launched the Sziget City initiative, which gives festivalgoers exclusive deals around Budapest.

7. Will the record-low Danube water level impact the festival?

Unfortunately, the exceptionally low water level of the Danube has affected one important part of our operations. We won't be able to run the popular Sziget boat service this year because the boats cannot dock safely at the Island.

You know, for many of our visitors, the boat wasn't simply a convenient way to arrive - it was part of the festival experience itself, helping to create the excitement before they even reached the gates. So we will all miss that this year.

8. In light of recent energy-saving measures in Budapest, how will you ensure the festival runs at 'full power'?

We hope the current heatwave will ease before the festival begins, which would naturally reduce pressure on the power grid. In any case, we've prepared for every scenario.

If necessary, we can disconnect partially or even completely from the public grid and power the festival using our own fleet of generators.

Our preference is to operate on grid electricity because it's the more environmentally friendly option, but we're fully prepared to run independently if needed.

9. What new sustainability initiatives have you introduced to help the environment?

A comprehensive, multi-year overhaul of our waste management system has been launched to encourage more responsible waste disposal, while reducing the overall volume of waste generated at the festival.

We've also introduced a local farmers' market featuring seasonal produce, making sustainable food options more widely available across the island.

Our Cycle2Sziget programme has been expanded, and sustainability activities at the Green Sziget Center have also been further developed.

In addition, we've introduced stricter environmental standards for all on-site vendors to help minimise the festival's environmental footprint.

10. After so many years, what still excites you personally when the festival gates open?

No matter how many years you've been involved, the moment the gates open always feels a little like the first time!

In my case, after being away from the day-to-day organisation of the festival for eight years, so much has changed that it genuinely feels like a new beginning.

An enormous amount of work goes into bringing Sziget to life, so seeing the first visitors arrive is always a special moment. It's incredibly rewarding to watch the world we've spent months creating finally come alive.

+1. Now you're back in charge, what are your future plans for Sziget?

Right now, our immediate priority is securing Sziget's future. Not long ago this year, the festival was facing an uncertain future, so the first step is to rebuild the core experience and reconnect emotionally with our main audience.

If festivalgoers truly feel that Sziget belongs to them, and can't wait to return year after year, then we'll know we've secured its future.

My longer-term goal is actually to make myself redundant, as the greatest measure of success will be when Sziget runs seamlessly without me!

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XpatLoop Interview 1: Károly Gerendai, Founder of Sziget Festival in Budapest

2013
XpatLoop Interview 2: Károly Gerendai, Founder of Sziget Festival in Budapest

2017
XpatLoop Interview 3: Károly Gerendai, Founder of Sziget Festival in Budapest

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