Gyula packs the calendar with culture, history, and late-night fun. The castle, the open-air theater, the famed thermal bath, and the city’s pálinka and sausage traditions anchor a year-round lineup: exhibitions, concerts, theater, foodie gatherings, museum workshops, sports, and both guaranteed and optional programs. From spring to autumn the Castle Theater (Gyulai Várszínház) hosts festivals, while the fortress serves up quality events almost nonstop. The Gyula Castle Spa (Gyulai Várfürdő) ranks among Hungary’s most beloved spa retreats.
Late December Highlights
December 27 in Gyula brings Grófi passziók – The Treasures of the Almásy Castle, nighttime adventure bathing at the AquaPalota, A kastély gyertyafényben candlelit castle hours, Alkotóház – candle-dipping at the Fortress, and Gyertyafényes vártúrák candlelit castle tours. From December 27–30, the Almásy Castle (Almásy-kastély) hosts the Stefánia Circle. December 27–January 4 adds Játssz és húzz a szerencsédért, a luck-draw game. December 28 features the Gyula Castle (Gyulai Vár) Fencing Yard and Kastélytúra Tacskó Döncivel, a dachshund-led castle tour. December 26–28 offers Guaranteed Programs at the Castle. On December 29–30, fencing returns, plus a pre–New Year’s jam at GyulaKultKlub, the Ladics House (Ladics-ház) Codebreaker game, and Alkotóház – Jewelry Workshop.
New Year’s Eve and Day in Gyula
December 31 is packed: New Year’s Eve at the Vigadó (Szilveszter a Vigadóban), Ladics House: The Empress’s Cup (Ladics-ház – Császárné csészéje), Almásy Castle: Corset and Revolution (Almásy-kastély – Fűző és forradalom), parties at Teo Várkert Bistro, GolfGallery, the Bols Café street party, Kastélykert Bisztró in Gyulavári, and a New Year’s Ball at the Woodland Center. January 1 continues with The Empress’s Cup, a New Year’s salvo in front of the Fortress, and Corset and Revolution. January 2 repeats The Empress’s Cup and Corset and Revolution, plus more Guaranteed Programs January 2–4. January 3 brings a candlelit castle evening, night wellness at the Thermal Bath, Mézi a középkorban fairy-tale kids’ program, more candlelit tours, and Corset and Revolution. January 4 features The Empress’s Cup, a dachshund castle tour, and Corset and Revolution. From December 22–January 4, the Ladics House runs Time Travel with VR glasses.
January–February: Wellness, Tours, and Stage
January 8 at the Ladics House: Informatics? Child’s Play / 3D Printing Club, with a body scanner demo. Guaranteed Castle Programs run Jan 9–11, 16–18, 23–25, and Jan 30–Feb 1. Most Saturdays feature candlelit tours, A kastély gyertyafényben, and night wellness. Highlights include Sándor Badár’s stand-up (Jan 15), Gangster Pop: Bonnie, Clyde and Ganxsta (GENGSZTER POP) (Jan 26), and Museum Free University talks on magic in Rome (Jan 28) and Herod, Jesus, and the Holy City (Feb 25).
Stage Hits and Magic
February stacks the deck: night wellness (Feb 7), candlelit tours (Feb 7), Somewhere in America / Bon-Bon 30 musical (Valahol Amerika / Bon Bon 30) (Feb 8), Comedy Theater (Dumaszínház): András Somogyi – Borrowed Faces (Kölcsön Arcok) (Feb 9), Dr. Kitti Almási’s Unfinished Threads (Elvarratlan szálak) (Feb 12), Mór Jókai: The Count of Fools (A bolondok grófja) by the Déryné Troupe (Déryné Társulat) (Feb 17), Magda Szabó: Abigail (Abigél) (Feb 25, tickets 8,900–9,900 HUF), The Masters of Illusion in Gyula (Az Illúzió Mesterei) (Feb 27).
Spring to Summer Festivals
March brings Claudia Liptai’s Clauságok (Mar 5), the Dachshund Meet-Up 2026 (Tacskótalálkozó 2026) at the Almásy Castle Visitor Center (Almásy-kastély), and a Museum Free University session on March 15, 1848 (Mar 25). April features the Medivid Agility and Para-Agility Festival (Apr 24–26) and a talk on Generals or Martyrs? (Apr 29). May headlines Danny Blue – The Secret (May 7), the Gyula Pálinka Festival (Gyulai Pálinkafesztivál) (May 22–24), and a Museum Free University style talk From Corsets to the Bob Cut (May 27). Summer seals it with the 4th Zumba Festival Gyula (Aug 21–23).
