Hajdúszoboszló is throwing a full-on culinary party this fall. From Friday to Sunday, September 18–20, 2026, the Wine and Gastro Festival takes over Saint Stephen Park (Szent István Park) with a packed, free-to-enter program: tastings of standout bottles from Hungary’s wine regions, a broad lineup of street food and regional dishes, live music, dance shows, cultural performances, and late-night DJ sets. It’s billed as the biggest gastro festival of the season, and it’s designed to please every age group, from families and casual grazers to wine lovers and night owls.
The venue sits in the heart of the spa town, where out-of-towners can easily find a bed within a short walk of the action. The organizers emphasize that the schedule may change, but the promise stands: three days of eats, drinks, and entertainment, with zero ticket price at the gate.
Where it is and how to plug in
The festival base is Saint Stephen Park (Szent István Park), 4200 Hajdúszoboszló. Attendees can check updates and contact the team via phone and Facebook. There’s also an option to request detailed information and notifications in advance so you don’t miss program tweaks, headliner announcements, or special tastings.
Expect a lively main stage program during the day, cultural showcases that highlight local flavor, and an evening pivot to concerts and DJ parties. The curation leans toward variety rather than niche: folk-inflected performances might sit alongside pop or dance acts, while wine stands pour everything from fresh whites to rich reds, with food vendors matching bites to glasses.
Stay close, soak more
If you’re pairing pours with a spa weekend, the surrounding accommodation scene is stacked and close. A cluster of hotels and apartments ring the famous baths and the park, which means a five- to eight-minute walk gets you just about anywhere you want to be.
Hotel Barátság sits right on the hotel promenade in a green zone and is one of the city’s tallest buildings, so you get sweeping views on top of on-site spa and wellness perks. Think therapeutic and alternating-temperature pools, hot tubs, saunas, an infrared sauna, and a steam bath. It’s set up for all-ages relaxation and recovery, with space for events, too—so if you’re combining a business meetup with a festival spin, this one-stop setup is ready.
For travelers who prefer apartment living, multiple guesthouses and apartment houses cluster 330–660 feet from the main beach and the Hungarospa complex—roughly a five-minute stroll. Options range from doubles to family-sized four- and five-person units, and many are open year-round. Several sit on quiet, garden-district streets, which keeps the noise down when you crash and puts the Medical Bath (Gyógyfürdő) and Peace Bath (Béke Fürdő) a few minutes away on foot.
Closer still, a centrally located pension near the small airfield sits 330 feet from the beach entrance, with the Aquapark and the newer Extreme Slide Park 1,300 feet away. The Árpád swimming pool and the Hungarospa therapy building are basically next door, handy for anyone planning to add medical or wellness treatments to their itinerary.
Eat, sip, repeat
Beyond festival stands, the local food-and-drink scene brings plenty of character. Drop into U-Pub Bar for a sprawling drink list at friendly prices and a surprise: it’s the only spot in town where you can combine an escape room with bowling, billiards, darts, air hockey, and foosball under one roof.
Craving tradition reimagined? Kemencés Csárda threads Hungarian heritage through a modern lens, from its menu to its rustic-influenced interior. Another crowd magnet near the baths is a romantic, elegant restaurant complex with a 150-seat covered terrace and an 80-seat upstairs panorama terrace—great for lingering dinners after a day of tastings.
The Major Pension and Restaurant anchors a calm corner of the bath district, about an eight-minute walk from the winter entrance and just two minutes from the summer entrance. Families may gravitate to a 107-room spa hotel in the resort zone with a full wellness wing and room types for every setup: twin, triple, 2+2 family apartments, family rooms with bunk beds, and suites. Rooms come with TVs, minibars, phones, safes, many with air conditioning and balconies, and all with private bathrooms.
For an updated dining room vibe, the revamped Mirage Restaurant leans into an exclusive feel with a striking pálinka wall, a seasonal menu, and attentive service. And if simple hits the spot, a crêperie just a minute from the Hungarospa entrance turns out savory and sweet pancakes, specialty lemonades, cocktails, coffees, and small-batch ice creams.
Prefer all-season terrace hangs? Nr.8 in the bath district serves classics and creative grilled plates, and its summer-and-winter terrace runs from April through late November. The nearly 80-seat pavilion is one of the city’s largest and doubles as a cocktail-friendly rest stop for evening strolls.
Getting there and getting around
If you’re arriving by bus, some apartments are just 490 feet from the station, and the main spa complex is within a short walk of most stays. Parking at many guesthouses is free in their courtyards. Since the festival is centered in Saint Stephen Park (Szent István Park), you can easily navigate on foot between tastings, concerts, and the baths.
Bottom line: book your bed, lace up comfortable shoes, and clear your weekend. Hajdúszoboszló’s Wine and Gastro Festival is shaping up to be an easygoing, flavor-packed, music-fueled three-day escape—and the price of admission is the best kind: free.
