Pécs is setting the stage for a packed 2026, rolling out concerts, candlelit tributes, ballet, comedy, brewery tours, and weekly cultural roundups across multiple venues. The city’s cultural heartbeat thumps loudest in the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, the former porcelain factory reborn as a creative campus and one of southern Hungary’s standout hubs for art and community. From the acoustically rich Kodály Center to the intimate PKK Apáczai House and the historic Synagogue, Pécs spreads the soundtrack across town—through winter chills, spring bloom, and well into autumn.
February opens with Bródy 80 at the Kodály Center on February 23, a milestone celebration for the Hungarian legend. Two days later, Bridgerton Music by Candlelight lights up the PKK Apáczai Művelődési Ház (Apáczai Cultural House) on February 25, a candlelit chamber-style spin inspired by Bridgerton’s strings-meet-pop vibe, with tickets from $35.50 to $41.00.
March brings jazz finesse: the Metronome Jazz Club hosts the Krisztián Oláh Quartet on March 5. On March 19, The Music of Ludovico Einaudi – Tribute returns to Apáczai, bathing the hall in minimalist piano atmospherics under candlelight, again priced $35.50–$41.00.
April doubles down. On April 8, Rock Ballads by Candlelight turns power anthems intimate at Apáczai for $35.50–$41.00, while the same evening HOBO 80+1 storms the Kodály Center, with tickets from $32.80 to $43.70. On April 19, Co Lee Live Band adds a fresh live set to the month’s lineup.
May 9 marks FREDDIE – Soul Diver: Inner Fire at Apáczai, a one-price ticket at $27.30. Autumn anchors the season: on September 24, organist Gergely Rákász dedicates a MOZART program in the Synagogue, tickets $16.40–$21.90. And November 16 crowns the year when Queen Symphonic Live fills the Kodály Center with orchestral rock, from $15.90 to $40.50.
Staying in Pécs for a week? The city makes it easy with rolling weekly guides. You’ll find Pécs Weekly Recommendations (Pécsi heti programajánló) and Zsolnay Quarter Weekly Schedule (Zsolnay Negyed heti programajánló) published back-to-back through winter, spring, and early summer—February 23–March 1, March 2–8, March 9–15, and onward, continuing every week into July. These listings gather concerts, exhibitions, family events, and late additions—perfect for building an ad hoc itinerary.
The National Theatre of Pécs (Pécsi Nemzeti Színház) runs productions across late February and March, with return slots March 1–8, March 10–14, and March 19–29, plus March 31. Tickets range from $9.60 to $21.80. Ballet fans get a double bill of Swan Lake on March 11 and March 12. On March 30, Lord of the Dance celebrates its 30th anniversary tour—a high-energy staple that packs the house.
Comedy and talk-driven shows also surface: on March 28, Burn Out Baby – The Six Rules of Effective Leadership, presented by actor Eszter Ónodi and written by Gergely Litkai, lands with tickets $24.80–$27.60. On April 20, psychologist Noémi Orvos-Tóth breaks down How to Break Inherited Family Patterns, a draw for fans of science-backed self-knowledge.
May adds farce to the mix: Michael Cooney’s Who Lives Here?! (Nicsak, ki lakik itt?!) on May 22 brings door-slamming chaos, with tickets $24.20–$26.90.
Candlelight experiences quietly dominate the calendar. Beyond Bridgerton Music by Candlelight and the Einaudi tribute, Rock Ballads by Candlelight returns in April. These shows pair warm glow with intimate acoustics, and the $35.50–$41.00 range sees brisk sales—worth booking ahead.
The Zsolnay Cultural Quarter curates more than stages. Two for Half Price – Senior Days in the Zsolnay Quarter (Ketten féláron – Nyugdíjas napok a Zsolnay Negyedben) returns across multiple long weekends: February 26–March 1, March 5–8, March 12–15, March 19–22, and March 26–29. It’s a smart window to explore exhibitions, workshops, and performances at a friendly rate for retirees traveling in pairs.
Every Saturday from late February through June and into early July, Discover the Pécs Brewery! runs a guided tour with tastings—a staple for craft fans that repeats on Feb 28; March 7, 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; June 6, 13, 20, 27; and July 4, 11. March 1 brings Magbörze Pécs, a seed fair for gardeners and growers. Architecture gets its spotlight April 25–26 with Festival and Night of Architecture (Építészet Ünnepe és Éjszakája), a citywide look at buildings, stories, and spaces after dark.
For musical theater lovers, Zerkovitz–Topolcsányi’s Princess of the Orpheum (Orfeum hercegnő) lights up February 28, while March 22’s Waltz by Candlelight (Gyertyafénykeringő), a two-act musical comedy, offers a one-price $27.30 ticket.
Weekly schedules for both the city and Zsolnay roll steadily: March 30–April 5, April 6–12, April 13–19, April 20–26, April 27–May 3, May 4–10, May 11–17, May 18–24, May 25–31, June 1–7, June 8–14, June 15–21, June 22–28, and June 29–July 5. That means updated picks every Monday for spontaneous travelers.
Base yourself in the historic center at Adele Boutique Hotel Pécs, a four-star address carved into a 19th-century protected building where period elegance meets crisp modern design across rooms and apartments. For a quieter hillside escape, Bagolyvár on Havihegy pairs clean air with panoramas—overlooking the Zengő side of Pécs—and charms with 19 folk-art-adorned rooms and six suites modeled after traditional wine presses, each themed to a famous Hungarian grape variety. The on-site Hungarian restaurant balances local classics with international plates, and the old-school desserts are the house pride.
Circle September 24 for Gergely Rákász – MOZART in the Synagogue, and November 16 for Queen Symphonic Live at the Kodály Center—two late-season peaks that bookend a year when Pécs proves, week by week, why it’s one of Hungary’s liveliest cultural cities.