Hévíz Lights Up: Advent And New Year 2025 Calendar

Discover Hévíz’s 2025 Advent and New Year calendar: concerts, crafts, markets, light art, and family shows by the thermal lake at Rózsakert and Kölcsey Square. Plan festive trips now.

when: 2025.11.29., Saturday - 2025.12.31., Wednesday

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Hévíz rolls out a full season of culture, food, and festive glow around the steamy, lily-dotted lake that’s a year-round bathing wonder. Between concerts, crafts, markets, and family shows, venues from Rózsakert (“Rose Garden”) to the Kölcsey Street event square, the local cinema, library, and museum all join in. The holiday spell runs on sparkling lights, music, and the scent of sweets and spiced treats.

December 21: Fourth Advent candle

14:00–17:00 Handmade crafts at Rózsakert and the Local History Exhibition. 16:00–19:00 FényDottó photo point at Kölcsey Street event square, plus the glowing FényDottó shuttle from Rózsakert. 17:00 The 4th Ecumenical Advent Candle Lighting at Kölcsey Square. Blessings by Dean László Kiss, Reformed pastor Márta Péntekné Vizkelety, Lutheran pastor Zsolt Honthegyi, Orthodox deacon István Vajna-Éliás, and German Lutheran pastor Bettina Gummel. Performers: Hévíz Tiszta Forrás Choir. 18:00 Advent light garland with the Kovács Family Choir.

December 23: Market feast

9:00–12:00 Fisherman’s soup with Pedro and a Christmas pastry fair at the Hévíz Producers’ Market.

December 24: Nativity plays

10:00 Children’s Christmas with Nativity play at the Reformed Church. 15:00 Nativity play at the Holy Spirit Church.

December 27: Music and glow

9:00–12:00 Attila Horváth and Tibor Farkas duo at the Producers’ Market. 16:00–19:00 FényDottó photo point and shuttle. 19:00 Csilla Szentpéteri & Band: Latin Winter at Kölcsey Square.

December 29: Pop reimagined

16:00–19:00 FényDottó photo point and shuttle. 19:00 Bettin’Art – popular hits in fresh arrangements, Kölcsey Square.

December 30: Old tradition

10:30 Regölés folk caroling by the Gyenesdiás Singers (Gyenesdiási Dalárda) at the Producers’ Market.

December 31: New Year’s bash

Kölcsey Square goes full party: 20:00 DJ Belo – MegaDance New Year’s set; 22:00–24:00 PartYssimo band; Mayor’s New Year’s greeting at midnight; 00:10–02:00 DJ Belo – MegaDance after-midnight party.

Holiday light magic: Nov 29–Dec 31

City spots shimmer with light art, decorated firs, music, and cozy candle ceremonies—perfect for easing into Christmas and cheering in the New Year. Organizers reserve the right to change times and programs.

2025, adrienne

Pros

Family-friendly vibe with crafts, choirs, nativity plays, and light displays that work for all ages, not just partygoers

Lots of free or low-cost outdoor events (markets, concerts, light garlands), easy on a holiday budget

Lake Hévíz is internationally known for its thermal lake, so even non-festival days have a unique soak-and-spa draw

No Hungarian required for enjoyment—music, lights, markets, and church services are intuitive; basic English is common in tourist areas

Compact town layout makes walking easy; FényDottó shuttle links key spots, and parking is generally manageable outside peak hours

Easy enough to reach: fly to Budapest or Vienna, then train/bus to Keszthely and short local bus/taxi to Hévíz; renting a car from Budapest is straightforward on good roads

Compared with other European Advent markets, it’s cozier and less crowded than Vienna/Prague, with the bonus of a thermal lake experience - Hévíz the town is less famous to U.S. visitors than Budapest or Lake Balaton hotspots, so planning takes extra research

Cons

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Program details and updates may be mostly in Hungarian, and schedule changes are noted, which can confuse non-locals

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Public transit at night and on holidays can be limited; late New Year’s returns may require taxis or a car

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If you want big-city spectacle, this feels small-scale versus major European New Year’s fireworks and mega-markets