The Szoboszló Folk Weekend returns to Hajdúszoboszló for its 31st edition from July 17 to 19, 2026, filling the spa town with music, dance, crafts, and tradition. Each evening, nationally and internationally acclaimed folk bands, soloists, and dancers perform on the Open-Air Stage in Saint Stephen Park (Szent István Park), giving holidaymakers and locals a reason to stay out late. The festival’s big goal is simple and bold: to make Hungarian folk traditions—and the folk music and dances of Hungary and the wider Carpathian Basin—part of everyday life for as many people as possible. And it’s all free to attend.
Where to go and what to see
The heart of the event is the open-air stage at Saint Stephen Park (Szent István Park), 4200 Hajdúszoboszló. By day, the artisans’ street turns into a hands-on showcase for folk arts. Masters of traditional crafts lay out their work and share techniques, from intricate handiwork to heritage-inspired design. Expect color, rhythm, and plenty of reasons to linger. With seven photo galleries and videos lined up, the visual side of the weekend is well covered, and the festival team keeps a public phone line and information request links open for practical help. The organizers reserve the right to change the time or program, so check updates if you’re planning tightly.
Free programs, paid pleasures
Every performance across the three nights is free, and if you’re new to Hungarian folk culture, think driving fiddles, thundering boots, and fast-turning skirts. Folk dance and live music dominate the schedule, usually with audience participation encouraged. Between shows, the artisans’ quarter offers shopping, demonstrations, and meet-the-maker chats. Food and drink? This is Hajdúszoboszló, a spa destination with serious hospitality muscle, so you’re spoiled for choice just steps from the park.
Stay close to the action
Accommodation options cluster around the spa zone, many just minutes from the baths and the festival hub. Hotel Friendship (Hotel Barátság)*** stands tall—literally the city’s tallest building—on the hotel promenade in the green belt, serving up panoramic views. Its own bath and wellness wing features medicinal and alternating-temperature pools, whirlpools, saunas, an infrared sauna, and a steam room. It doubles as a venue hotel, blending stays, wellness, and events under one roof for both leisure and business travelers.
Close-in apartments round out the budget-friendly end. Several guesthouses and apartment houses sit roughly 5 minutes on foot from the famous spa complex. Expect separate-entrance units designed for couples and families—two-person nooks alongside four- and five-bed setups—operating year-round. Many properties highlight peace and quiet in suburban garden settings while still being a short stroll from the Medical Spa (Gyógyfürdő) and Peace Baths (Béke Fürdő). If proximity is your priority, you’ll find new-build apartments 100 to 200 meters from the main beach entrance, with restaurants, markets, and grocery options right nearby. Another apartment house opened in June 2009 about 200 meters from the beach and 150 meters from the bus station, ideal for travelers arriving by coach. Prefer privacy? Look for guesthouses tucked into cul-de-sacs with free courtyard parking and a shared breakfast kitchen—open all year.
For something a touch more full-service, there’s a 107-room family- and child-friendly hotel in the resort district, complete with its own medical and wellness area. Rooms range from classic doubles and triples to 2+2 family apartments, family rooms with bunk beds, and suites for high-end comfort. Expect TVs, minibars, phones, in-room safes, and many with air conditioning and balconies; all have private bathrooms. Another centrally located stay sits a few minutes’ walk from the medical spa, good for travelers who prize convenience over bells and whistles.
Eat, drink, repeat
Eats and treats are everywhere. Kemencés Inn (Kemencés Csárda) takes its cue from the old roadside inns of the Great Hungarian Plain, updating tradition for modern tastes with a menu and interior that channel heritage through a contemporary lens. A romantic hospitality complex near the spa boasts a 150-seat covered terrace and an upstairs panorama terrace for up to 80, perfect for long summer dinners. Major Guesthouse and Restaurant (Major Panzió és Étterem) sits in a calm corner of the spa zone, about 8 minutes from the winter entrance and 2 from the summer gate, pairing lodging and meals for fuss-free weekends.
Mirage Restaurant has been revamped with an upscale feel, a mood-lit pálinka wall, a seasonal menu, and service geared to guests first. A boutique-style hotel adds a cozy restaurant and patisserie, an extensive drink list, and 13 varied room types aiming to please business travelers, couples, families, and evergreen adventurers, with rooms offering bathtubs or showers as you prefer.
If you’re grazing, the No. 8 eatery in the spa district rolls out classics and creative grilled dishes, anchored by a summer and winter terrace that runs April to late November. The nearly 80-seat pergola is one of the city’s largest, and the cocktail list is worth lingering over. Craving quick comfort? A pancake spot a minute from the Hungarospa Medical Spa (Hungarospa Gyógyfürdő) entrance serves savory and sweet palacsinta, plus lemonades, cocktails, specialty coffees, and artisanal ice cream. For nightlife and games under one roof, U-Pub Bar lines up an escape room, bowling, billiards, darts, air hockey, and foosball alongside a wide, wallet-friendly drink menu and an easygoing vibe.
How to plan it
Dates are July 17–19, 2026, with all festival programs free in Saint Stephen Park (Szent István Park), Hajdúszoboszló. Many stays and eateries sit within a short walk of the baths and the open-air stage, making it simple to drift from afternoon spa time to evening shows. Book accommodation and tables early—Hajdúszoboszló fills fast in peak season—and keep an eye on any last-minute schedule tweaks from organizers.
