Bakáts Fest (Bakáts Feszt), Budapest’s beloved all-arts outdoor festival, returns from September 5-7, 2025, lighting up the city’s 9th district (Ferencváros) with an epic blend of concerts, family fun, storytelling walks, film screenings, exhibitions, theater, classical music, and literature. Spread across multiple locations, the festival delivers non-stop cultural excitement for every age and taste—all in the heart of the city.
Friday Kickoff: Film, Classical Tunes, and Late-Night Gigs
The action launches Friday afternoon with the Bakáts Film Club Extra (Bakáts Filmklub Extra), showcasing short films in triple-feature blocks at Bakáts Bunker. Music lovers can catch the MÁV Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s 7th Symphony at the grand Church of St. Francis of Assisi (Assisi Szent Ferenc-templom). Art aficionados won’t want to miss the opening of Synonym III (Szinonima III) at Mester Gallery (Mester Galéria) and Attila Stark’s Garden Party exhibition at Bakáts Bunker. Meanwhile, the Ferencváros Local History Collection (Ferencvárosi Helytörténeti Gyűjtemény) hosts a chat with Gabriella and Krisztina Inke about Hungary’s answer to Kojak.
Poetry and literature get their due on the festival’s Small Stage (Kisszínpad), where Éva Petrőczi and Pál Lányi talk shop. Evening brings funky grooves: Seventh Kind Encounters (Hetedik Típusú Találkozások) performs at the Bunker, while the main stage features L.A. Suzi and indie favorite JustForYouBaby (Csaknekedkislány).
Saturday: Family, Poetry, and Genre-Spanning Concerts
Saturday’s highlights start with children’s star Jakab the Hatted (Kalap Jakab) and more short films. History buffs can join a walking tour tracing poet Attila József. Behind the scenes, the AnyaHajó Foundation presents Animal Poems, followed by a church tour and a special organ concert inside the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.
The day spins into creative territory with a series of talks and workshops: slam poetry with Pi Slam, a crash course on writing terrible poems by Márton Simon, and artist meetups. Don’t miss Kolo Folk House (Kolo népiház) dancing, a new photo exhibit on Carpathian legends, or Banana Cats’ (Banános Macskák) quirky animal art.
Music pulses into the night with Medikus Band, The Qualitons, and Ukrainian sensation Dakh Daughters. Over at BMC (Budapest Music Center), check out Telemann’s comic opera Pimpinone (or The Unequal Marriage).
Sunday: Science, Storytelling, and Grand Finales
Sunday blends family magic with Homo Faber Gallery’s storytelling, filmmaking marathons, and another historic stroll—this time through central Ferencváros. The main stage features singer Eszter Bíró’s Time Gnome Adventures and a live physics show. Folk trio Stanza (Strófa) and organ tours return, along with a showcase of Budapest’s vibrant national minorities.
The closing stretch includes jazz heroes Barabás Lőrinc Quartet and the ÁSZ Drama School’s Godspell – Unholy Edition at the Cellar Theater (Pinceszínház). The main stage closes with “Attila József 120 – Not I Cry Out, the Earth Thunders,” marking the legendary poet’s 120th birthday.
Three days, dozens of venues—Bakáts Fest is where Budapest’s art scene explodes.
