Budapest Congress Center 2026: concerts, ballet, klezmer, symphonic pop, and conferences. Book online for Pedagógus Expo, Kátya Tompos tribute, Fegya 80, Swan Lake, Melody Maker, film-score roast. Secure seats now.
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Budapest’s Congress Center in Hegyvidék (1123 Budapest, Jagelló út 1–3) rolls into 2026 with a full slate of concerts, shows, conferences, and one-off events right in the heart of the city. Tickets are available online, the complete schedule is live, and the doors are open for everything from ballet and klezmer to symphonic pop and a nationwide educators’ gathering. Prices range from about USD 11 to USD 80, and organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs.
On March 1, the Congress Center opens at 8:00 for Pedagógus Expo 2026, a conference and exhibition created to support everyone who educates and raises children—through both professional content and deeply human encouragement. Across four rooms, participants can attend specialized talks, while the foyer and corridors turn into a lively expo with professional exhibitors focused on educators. The event aims to blend a sense of community with practical know‑how and inspiration. Tickets are USD 11.
March 2 brings a luminous memorial evening for the late actor and singer Kátya Tompos. The tribute says it all: she was the talent we all dream of becoming; the clown who could only play with deadly seriousness; a spirited, charming, often-lost figure who somehow still showed the way; and a light powerful enough to drive out everyday misery. Marking her birthday, the night gathers stellar artists to conjure her presence in an unrepeatable remembrance concert.
Within the program, the Kátya Tompos Foundation will, for the second time, present the Kátya Tompos Award, launched in honor of the actress-singer who died tragically young. The award recognizes young performing artists whose personality reflects Kátya’s spirit and dedication, and whose talent allows them to excel across both theater and musical performance. Based on nominations from Hungarian theater companies, the prize is presented annually at a Kátya-themed memorial concert. The evening is also a charity event: proceeds go to the Foundation for the philanthropic aims set in Kátya’s will. Ticket prices range from USD 27 to USD 81.
On March 7, the Budapest Klezmer Band salutes its founder and leader, Ferenc Jávori “Fegya” (Jávori Ferenc), with an intimate birthday concert—complete with personal stories—honoring his 80th. Fegya is a creator and performer credited with reviving the klezmer tradition in Hungary and giving it a contemporary pulse. His large-scale stage works include the klezmer musicals Bridal Dance (Menyasszonytánc) and Levi Story, the musical drama Ghetto (Gettó), the Purim Klezmer ballet, and Klezmer Suite (Klezmer Szvit), plus many individual pieces that have become modern classics. His artistic and culture-shaping work was recognized with the Kossuth Prize, underscoring his pivotal role in Hungarian musical life.
The concert traces his life and career from childhood to his Budapest years and on to acclaimed European and American successes. Expect a survey of Fegya’s own compositions, performed by the Budapest Klezmer Band, whose signature mixes Yiddish motifs with other folk elements, humor, life force, and a dash of modernity. Both instrumental and vocal works are on the bill, with numerous guest artists joining. Tickets: USD 30 to USD 49.
On March 10, the timeless ballet returns: Swan Lake, with Tchaikovsky’s immortal music and the legend of a cursed love. Ukrainian Classical Ballet brings the production to Hungary for the first time, telling the story of Prince Siegfried and Odette, the princess bound by an evil spell, and charting the eternal struggle between good and evil—and love’s power to overcome. Tchaikovsky’s first ballet is famed not only for its spectacle but for its deep emotional core.
Swan Lake stands as the emblem of classical ballet and a towering technical and artistic challenge. The same ballerina embodies both Odette, the pure white swan, and Odile, the seductive black swan. The second act’s 32 fouettés en tournant are among the discipline’s greatest technical trials, demanding both physical strength and expressive artistry. Ukrainian Classical Ballet works with leading dancers and soloists from Europe’s and the world’s top theaters, aiming for the highest artistic level. Their festive staging honors the giant of the ballet canon while giving the classic a fresh pulse for all ages.
On March 15, Melody Maker teams up with the Győr Philharmonic Orchestra for a crossover blowout: Melody Maker Symphonic. It’s a super-concert built from unforgettable, widely known hits—think Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Donna Summer, Tom Jones, plus a ’90s chart-toppers medley—lighting up Sunday night at the Congress Center. The setlist flows as medleys, weaving together the best-known hooks and themes under the baton of Márton Rácz. Tickets run USD 37 to USD 40.
On June 14, The Music-Hater 3.0 – Showdown with Film Music pairs actor-comedian Péter Janklovics with the Danubia Orchestra for a symphonic stand-up roast of everyone’s favorite movie themes. Yes, there is someone who doesn’t like film music—and he’s not holding back. The saga’s finale swings at the iconic sounds of Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jaws, and more, with conductor Máté Hámori and Janklovics taking the Budapest Congress Center stage. Tickets range from USD 13 to USD 42.
Beyond these highlights, the Congress Center’s calendar stretches across months, with rolling weekly listings from February to December 2026. The platform shows blocks by week—March through summer, fall, and year’s end—so you can scan what’s on and secure seats early. With events spanning conferences, memorial concerts, jubilee nights, ballet, and symphonic pop, the venue keeps its promise of variety in the middle of Budapest. Online tickets are live now, and while exact lineups can change, the city’s biggest indoor stage is primed for a packed 2026. Organizers reserve the right to adjust dates and programs.
