Lights, music, community, experience — that’s the vibe in Keszthely this holiday season. From November 29, 2025 to January 1, 2026, the city turns into a festive playground with close to 100 programs, a sparkling Christmas market, a giant wooden Advent wreath, interactive displays, children’s workshops, concerts, and a New Year’s Eve bash to wrap it all up. The heart of it all is Fő tér (Main Square), where Advent Sundays bring candle lightings led by historic churches, local choirs, and well-known actors sharing reflections, while schools, museums, cultural venues, civic groups, and Festetics Palace (Festetics-kastély) add their own magic across town.
Charity at the Heart: “Warmth of Our Soul”
This year, the Saint Elizabeth Charity Foundation relaunches “Lelkünk Melege” (Warmth of Our Soul), blending festive spirit with tangible help for those in need. The showpiece is a 39.4-foot-diameter, 9.8-foot-tall, spectacular wooden Advent wreath on Fő tér. It’s not just a photo magnet: after the holidays, all the firewood will be cut and delivered stove-ready to families who need it. Local businesses, civic groups, and private donors are pitching in again to provide around 100 cubic meters of firewood. The square gains a new nativity scene, an interactive community corner, and displays created by children. Expect expanded decorative lighting, more projection mapping, photo spots, cozy areas to warm up with treats, and a soundtrack of Christmas tunes.
Headliners and Local Talent
Keszthely’s stage mixes neighborhood stars with big names. St. Martin, Gigi Radics, Gyula Éliás Jr., André Vásáry, Gyula Vikidál, and the duo Klára Hajdu & Milán Szakonyi all perform on Fő tér, while New Year’s Eve welcomes Desperado feat. Timi and Erika Zoltán. Sunday candle lightings feature beloved actors and local choirs, and churches host concerts and Midnight Mass. The Balaton Theatre (Balaton Színház) lines up films, concerts, and a family musical, and Festetics Palace rolls out holiday attractions through early January.
First Advent Weekend: Nov 29–30
Saturday lifts off with a lumberjack-themed play park and craft sessions (3:00–5:00 p.m.), Super Troupers’ Angyal Száll at 4:30 p.m., Renáta Damu & Tibor Kónyai’s Adventi Utazás at 6:00 p.m., and Gigi Radics at 7:30 p.m. Sunday starts with the Balaton Theatre’s Várakozás exhibition opening at 3:00 p.m. Back on Fő tér from 3:00 p.m., local schools perform, Darida Dance Theatre stages Broadway Karácsony at 4:45 p.m., then the first candle lighting at 5:00 p.m. with honorary dean István Földi, actor Károly Eperjes, and the Salve Regina Choir. The “Warmth of Our Soul” initiative is presented, and Gyula Éliás Jr. plays at 6:00 p.m. A charity concert also fills the Reformed Church at 6:00 p.m.
Midweek Warm-Up: Dec 4
Fejér György City Library launches the 2026 West Balaton Almanac (Nyugat-balatoni Kalendárium) at 5:00 p.m., followed by the Bódi Brothers’ Humor, Motivation at the Balaton Theatre at 6:00 p.m.
Second Advent Weekend: Dec 5–7
Friday brings a Santa-themed student concert at the Festetics Music School (5:00 p.m.), a poetry concert, Szekund Surlódás, on Fő tér (5:00 p.m.), and Christmas melodies by Bernadett Mrakovics & Friedrich Pazeller at 6:00 p.m. Saturday’s stacked: Santa in the Historic Playhouse at Festetics Palace (10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.), the play park and crafts (3:00–5:00 p.m.), a surprise in white (3:00 p.m.), Brumi Bandi Band’s family concert (4:00 p.m.) right as Santa arrives, Evelin Kapitány at 5:30 p.m., and a grand St. Nicholas Day at the Church of Our Lady of Hungary (Magyarok Nagyasszonya Parish Church) with the Hungarian Radio Children’s Choir (5:00 p.m.) and an Archbishop’s Mass at 6:30 p.m. Gyula Vikidál caps the evening on Fő tér at 7:00 p.m. Sunday offers school showcases at 3:00 p.m., the second candle lighting at 5:00 p.m. with Pastor Zsolt Honthegyi, actors Anna Kubik and Csaba Pindroch, and the Helikon Choir, followed by Chanson Brass at 6:00 p.m. A library Advent concert with Zsödi Duo lands Monday at 5:00 p.m., plus theatre and film midweek: Niccsak, ki lakik itt? (Dec 9), Andrea Bocelli: My Christmas concert film (Dec 10), and Zsuzsa Koncz: Jelbeszéd (Dec 11).
Third Advent Weekend: Dec 12–14
Friday sets the tone with Lia Szabó & Zsigmond Irsai (6:00 p.m., Fő tér) and a Philharmonia concert by the Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra at the Balaton Theatre (7:00 p.m.). Saturday and Sunday add a Kocka (Brick) exhibition at Festetics Palace (10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.), Advent crafting at the Balaton Museum (Dec 13, 2:00–5:00 p.m.), and the play park (3:00–5:00 p.m.). On Fő tér, Panna Bál’s Christmas tale concert dances in at 5:00 p.m., St. Martin at 6:00 p.m., then Klára Hajdu & Milán Szakonyi at 7:00 p.m. The Little St. Thérèse Carmelite Basilica hosts an organ concert at 7:00 p.m. Sunday’s KTC Charity Advent (4:00 p.m.) mixes crafts and EsSense Trio, with collections of non-perishable food, toys, and donations for local families. The third candle lighting follows at 5:00 p.m., with Pastor Emőke Zichy, actor Péter Vida, and the Psalmus Protestant Choir. The Babos Jazz Trio plays at 6:00 p.m., and the Csokonai Sports Hall welcomes Bagossy Brothers Company: Ünnep at 7:00 p.m. Monday, December 15, the city hall team hosts the Table of Love (Szeretet Asztal) on Fő tér (5:00–7:00 p.m.).
Fourth Advent Weekend: Dec 19–21
Friday’s Holiday Harmony (6:00 p.m., Fő tér) precedes A Christmas Carol (Karácsonyi ének), a family musical by Körúti Színház at the Balaton Theatre (7:00 p.m.). Saturday returns the play park and crafts (3:00–5:00 p.m.), an interactive kids’ show, Snow White and the Legend of the Snow Queen (Hófehér és a Jégkirálynő legendája), at 5:00 p.m., Bettina Bódis at 6:00 p.m., and a magical Advent concert by countertenor André Vásáry at 7:30 p.m. Sunday brings more school performances (3:00 p.m.), the fourth candle lighting at 5:00 p.m. with Premonstratensian Abbot Márton Z. Fazakas, actor Attila Hertelendy, and the Premonstratensian Choir, followed by Péter Andorai & The Graceband at 6:00 p.m. The Helikon Choir’s Advent concert fills the Carmelite Basilica at 7:00 p.m.
Christmas to New Year
On December 24, the Balaton Theatre screens The Star at 2:00 p.m., while the parish church hosts Christmas organ music and Midnight Mass starting at 11:15 p.m. Festetics Palace runs holiday programs, playhouses, exhibitions, and concerts December 20–January 4. Dance into the year’s end with the Csángó New Year’s Eve Dance House at the Goldmark Károly Cultural Center (Dec 29, 5:00 p.m.). The traditional New Year’s Eve Splash hits the City Beach, Szigetfürdő, at 11:00 a.m. on December 31. Then, back to Fő tér that night: Desperado feat. Timi fire up the stage from 7:00 p.m., with Erika Zoltán joining the year-end celebration.
