Pécs rolls out a full-throttle year of live music, theater, dance, and after-dark adventures across its most beloved venues, anchored by the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter (Zsolnay Negyed), a creative hub housed on the grounds of the former porcelain factory. From tribute spectaculars and jazz nights to candlelit classical crossovers and beer tours, the city’s calendar is stacked week after week, with highlights at the Kodály Center (Kodály Központ), PKK Apáczai Community House (PKK Apáczai Művelődési Ház), Kultik Cinema (Kultik Mozi), and the historic Synagogue (Zsinagóga). Here’s how 2026 in Pécs is shaping up for gig-goers and culture chasers.
On February 21, ABBA – The Happy New Year Concert Show brings disco sparkle to Kultik Cinema (Kultik Mozi), while the same day Kiss Tibi és az Aranyakkord rolls in with Szeretni jöttünk, a project steeped in intimate songwriting and alt-rock charisma. Two days later, on February 23, Bródy 80 takes over the Kodály Center (Kodály Központ), celebrating the legendary Hungarian songwriter’s milestone with a concert worthy of the occasion.
The candlelit craze lands February 25, when Bridgerton Music by Candlelight (BRIDGERTONI ZENE GYERTYAFÉNYNÉL) glows at PKK Apáczai Community House (PKK Apáczai Művelődési Ház). Tickets range from about $35 to $41 (12,900–14,900 HUF). Expect swooning strings and Regency vibes under a halo of flickering light.
The Metronome Jazz Club (Metronóm Jazz Klub) hosts the Krisztián Oláh Quartet (Oláh Krisztián Quartet) on March 5, a chance to catch one of Hungary’s most exciting jazz voices in a club setting. On March 11 and 12, ballet fans get two nights of Swan Lake, a classical blockbuster that never stops drawing breathless ovations.
On March 19, The Music of Ludovico Einaudi – Tribute washes PKK Apáczai in minimalist grandeur—again priced roughly $35–$41. The city keeps social calendars humming with recurring weekly listings: Pécs Weekly Program Guide (Pécsi heti programajánló) and Zsolnay Quarter Weekly Guide (Zsolnay Negyed heti program) return throughout March, while Two for Half Price – Senior Days in the Zsolnay Quarter (Ketten féláron – Nyugdíjas napok a Zsolnay Negyedben) offers half-price senior days across multiple long weekends.
Comedy and theater punctuate the month. Márványlikőr / Terrio – Humor és ámor két felvonásban (two-act “humor and amour”) pops up on February 22 at around $19 (7,000 HUF). Waltz by Candlelight (Gyertyafénykeringő), a musical comedy in two acts, arrives March 22 at the same price point. On March 28, Burn Out Baby – The Six Rules of Effective Leadership (A hatékony vezetés hat szabálya), written by Gergely Litkai and performed by Eszter Ónodi, lands with tickets around $25–$27 (9,190–9,990 HUF). And March closes with Lord of the Dance – 30th Anniversary Tour on March 30, a global dance juggernaut that needs no introduction.
Saturday plans? The city has you covered: Discover the Pécs Brewery! (Fedezd fel a Pécsi Sörfőzdét!) runs beer-tasting tours every Saturday from February through July—an easy add-on around shows and matinees.
Two April 8 headliners split the night: HOBO 80+1 brings the iconic blues-rock poet to the Kodály Center (Kodály Központ) with tickets roughly $33–$44 (11,990–15,990 HUF), while Rock Ballads by Candlelight (ROCKBALLADÁK GYERTYAFÉNYBEN) at PKK Apáczai keeps the flame-lit cover magic alive at about $35–$41. On April 19, Co Lee Live Band adds a fresh live set to the month’s roster.
April also leans into talks and urban culture. On April 20, clinical psychologist Noémi Orvos-Tóth presents How Do We Break Inherited Family Patterns? (Hogyan törjük meg az örökölt családi mintákat?), a timely lecture in the spring lineup. Then April 25–26 marks the Festival and Night of Architecture (Építészet Ünnepe és Éjszakája), inviting the city out to celebrate buildings, design, and the way Pécs comes alive after sundown. Weekly program roundups and Zsolnay guides keep running, and the National Theatre of Pécs (Pécsi Nemzeti Színház) maintains a busy slate with tickets generally $10–$22 (3,500–7,900 HUF).
On May 9, FREDDIE – Soul Diver: Inner Fire (LÉLEKBÚVÁR: Belső tűz) plays PKK Apáczai at a flat $27 (9,990 HUF), promising a radio-ready vocal powerhouse in an intimate hall. Michael Cooney’s farce Guess Who Lives Here?! (Nicsak, ki lakik itt?!) drops May 22 at around $24–$27 (8,900–9,900 HUF). Saturdays remain beer-tour days, and both the city and Zsolnay maintain rolling weekly guides to help you pick your lane.
June and July keep it relaxed yet regular: weekly program digests, Zsolnay updates, and the ever-present Saturday Pécs Brewery tours on June 6, 13, 20, and 27, plus July 4 and 11. It’s a smooth setup for travelers who want a cultural anchor alongside day trips through the Mecsek Hills or café-hopping in the historic center.
Fall lights up with two big dates. On September 24, organist Gergely Rákász performs Mozart in the Synagogue (Zsinagóga) with tickets around $17–$22 (5,990–7,990 HUF), a rare chance to hear classical repertoire in a resonant, historic space. Then on November 16, Queen Symphonic Live roars into the Kodály Center (Kodály Központ) with prices roughly $16–$41 (5,800–14,800 HUF), merging rock anthems and orchestral power for maximal goosebumps.
For a bed as memorable as your ticket stubs, the 4-star Adele Boutique Hotel Pécs sits inside a 19th-century, monument-protected building in the historic downtown. Rooms and apartments blend period details with crisp modern design, pulling off that hard-to-find union of character and comfort. For smaller groups, a nearby guesthouse offers a four-person apartment and separate guest rooms, giving you flexible options right in the mix of the city’s venues.
Bookmark the recurring weekly listings—Pécs Weekly Program Guide (Pécsi heti programajánló) and Zsolnay Quarter Weekly Guide (Zsolnay Negyed heti program)—then layer in the marquee dates: February’s ABBA and Bródy 80, March’s Einaudi tribute, Swan Lake, and Lord of the Dance, April’s HOBO 80+1 and Rock Ballads by Candlelight, May’s Freddie and Michael Cooney’s comedy, September’s Mozart in the Synagogue, and November’s symphonic Queen. Add a Saturday beer tour for good measure. With 46 standout picks and a constant stream of theater and specials, Pécs in 2026 feels like one long, encores-only year.