Gödöllő’s Royal Palace throws open its gates for a two-day spring welcome: Ibolya Day on Sunday, April 5, 2026, and Easter at the Palace on Monday, April 6, 2026. Set in the stately Grassalkovich Palace, the festival blends heritage, music, theater, crafts, and family fun, making it one of spring’s most-loved outings. Expect hands-on traditions, lively performances, and a bustling artisan market stretching across the courtyards and the park, all wrapped in the palace’s unique historical charm.
From cultural and gastronomic showcases to children’s shows and Easter customs, the lineup is packed. Families can browse handmade goods from Hungarian makers, sample festive bites, and join guided tours through the royal apartments. The festival’s atmosphere turns the palace grounds into a true spring fair for all ages—ideal for a seasonal day trip, an Easter celebration, or simply a grand day out in Gödöllő.
Ibolya Day – Sunday, April 5
Kick off with egg hunts hidden in hay across the park at 11:00 and 13:30. At 11:30, Sanyi, Én és a Gyerekek presents “A só” in the Main Courtyard, followed by Halmos Mónika’s interactive “Play Me the Sweet Song of the Violet” at 13:00 and 15:00. From 12:00 to 14:00, “Queen Elisabeth Holds a Cercle” welcomes guests in the Grand Hall (museum ticket required). Watch the art of egg-shoeing demonstrated in the Main Courtyard at 13:00 and 16:00, then settle in for the Gödöllő Symphony Chamber Artists’ concert at 14:00. “Sniffing Out Royal Dishes” offers a family tour of the royal suites at 14:00 (separate ticket). At 15:00, Scene Műhely stages Lázár Ervin’s A Négyszögletű Kerek Erdő (The Square Round Forest) in the Baroque Theatre (separate ticket). The day wraps with Brandnyúl in concert at 16:15. Visitors named Ibolya get 50% off museum entry today.
Easter at the Palace – Monday, April 6
Try the Tündérkert maze egg hunts at 11:00, 14:00, and 16:15. The HESS Dance Ensemble performs folk dances at 11:30 and 16:30. Egg-shoeing demos return at 12:00 and 16:00. Don’t miss the Váray family’s festive concert at 13:00. At 14:00, see “Emperor Franz Joseph’s Letters to Sisi, 1895–1898,” the Erdélyi Szalon Publishing House’s Volume II launch, in the Baroque Theatre, and join the “Sniffing Out Royal Dishes” family tour (separate ticket). At 15:00, Kalimpa Színház presents the live-music fairy play A Királykisasszony cipője (The Princess’s Shoe) in the Main Courtyard.
All-Day Highlights
– A. E. Köchert – Jeweler to Emperors and Kings: temporary exhibition, self-guided or guided
– Face painting and braid styling for kids; castle model play zone; wooden carousel
– Fabatka Porta folk playground: tulip brainteasers, slingshot range, folk mini-kitchen with beehive oven, hand corn mill with sieve, ball and ring toss games, nutcracker, giant heart puzzle, busyboard
– Pottery workshops; Hungarian African Violet Club exhibition and fair
– Easter sprinkling demos (Monday); craft and applied-art market
– Food: Kürcsi Őskalács, Lacikonyha, and holiday treats
Advance tickets for Scene Műhely theater shows are valid for the full day’s program. Separate tickets apply for the permanent exhibition, the temporary exhibition, the Horthy bunker, and the Palace Chapel. Organizers reserve the right to change times and programs.
