Szombathely Lights Up: AGORA’s 2026 Culture Rush

AGORA Szombathely’s 2026 lineup: kids’ crafts, clay, concerts, workshops, theater, comedy, and musicals for families and youth. Book tickets early for limited-capacity cultural events in Hungary’s oldest city.
when: 2026.02.02., Monday
where: 9700 Szombathely, Március 15. tér 5.

Szombathely’s AGORA keeps the city buzzing all year with exhibitions, concerts, theater, dance, family days, youth events, and hands-on workshops. True to its Greek roots, this “agora” is a living public space where every age group can dive into quality culture, from intimate craft sessions to big-stage nights in Hungary’s oldest city.

Farsangoló: carnival crafts for kids

Preschool and school groups can gear up for carnival season with themed craft sessions at AGORA – MSH on weekday mornings and afternoons between January 6 and February 18, 2026, by advance booking. On the table: a carnival set (hat and bow tie), feathered masks, and an accordion clown. Participation: about $2.40 per child. Location: AGORA – MSH.

Small Clay Workshops: colorful ceramics

Fridays, January 9 – February 6, 2026, 16:45–18:30 at AGORA – MSH. Led by potter Balázs Udvardi, these sessions teach the basics of ceramics through simple forming techniques and a variety of decoration methods. Each themed block culminates with participants taking home their fired pieces. Parent–child co-creation is welcome. Ages 6+.

Napraforgó – Tales From Here and Beyond

Garabonciás Ensemble (Garabonciás Együttes) brings an interactive children’s concert on February 2, 2026, 10:00 at a new venue: AGORA – Cultural and Sports Hall (Művelődési és Sportház), Március 15. Square (Március 15. tér) 5. Expect a mix of poetry set to music, folk song adaptations, high-energy and lyrical tunes, with rich acoustic arrangements and multi-part vocals. Kids can spot guitars, mandolin, ukulele, recorders, violin, agogô, shakers, and more. The spirit: play, joy, singalongs, and shared music-making. Group tickets: about $4.30 per show, or about $8.10 for two (about $4.05 each). Individual tickets: about $5.40. Capacity is limited; advance registration required.

Experience Painting Workshop

February 7, 2026, 10:00 at AGORA – MSH. Instructor: Zsuzsanna Gajdos, art and visual culture educator. Create striking works with special plant-based inks and watercolor techniques. Recommended for ages 12+. Limited tickets, first come, first served. Fee: about $29.20.

Péter Srámek Valentine’s Day Concert

February 12, 2026, Thursday, 19:00. A romantic evening headlined by the popular singer—perfect prelude to the weekend.

Mash The House: one night, three acts

February 14, 2026, from 19:00 at AGORA – MSH. The silence finally breaks: two live concerts, two fast-paced DJs, full-throttle atmosphere. Program:
– 19:00 – Doors
– 20:00–21:00 – BLAIZE
– 21:30–22:30 – MEHRINGER
– 23:00–24:00 – CoLee x BLAIZE
– From 00:15 – DJ LENNARD
Aimed at young audiences craving a night built for them—and anyone who loves these artists. Everything’s set for a memorable blowout.

Apostol – We Can’t Live Without You

March 6, 2026, Friday, 19:00. For over five decades, Apostol has been a pillar of Hungarian pop, with hits like “I Can’t Live Without You” (Nem tudok élni nélküled), “We Should Live Smarter” (Okosabban kéne élni), and “My Heart Is for Sale, for Rent” (Eladó, kiadó most a szívem). This show is a reunion with their iconic songs, a wave of first loves, shared dances, and sunlit summers. As they say on stage: you are the reason we’re still here. If you love soul-stirring live music and Hungarian pop classics, don’t miss it.

One Life – Alexandra Borbély and Ervin Nagy

March 7, 2026, Saturday, 19:00 at AGORA – MSH. In the One Life series, artists share the turning points that shaped them. This special edition features a couple: Alexandra Borbély and Ervin Nagy, one of Hungary’s most compelling acting duos, stepping out as themselves. For the first time together, they recount how a chance cafeteria meeting led to marriage and twin daughters—like a Woody Allen script. Honest, funny, and touching, it’s about building a family amid sleepless nights and slammed doors. Approx. 90 minutes. Tickets: full price about $20.80, with Saint Martin card about $18.70. Buy online or at the AGORA Ticket Office (Szombathely, Március 15. tér 5.).

Bródy 80

March 20, 2026, Friday, 19:00. A celebration of an era-defining songwriter’s eight decades—expect timeless lyrics and a living legend on stage.

Stormy Crossing: romantic comedy on deck

March 28, 2026, 19:00. Replacement for the January 25 performance. Based on Károly Aszlányi’s play. New York, 1938, aboard the luxury liner La Paz, bound for Monte Carlo. A work-obsessed young businesswoman collides with a charming adventurer, surrounded by a gallery of eccentrics: a degenerate moneyed fiancé, a brutal wife and her terrified husband, a dithering secretary transformed twice by a Tibetan singing bowl, and Tony’s mother, hell-bent on looking a decade younger than her daughter. Everyone’s running from or chasing someone, big money is at stake, and hearts are a plaything. Swing roars through the ship, igniting the golden age of jazz.

Peter Pan: a musical adventure

April 18, 2026, Saturday, 11:00. A musical based on J. M. Barrie. Cast includes Uwe Berecz (Peter Pan), Melinda Boda (Wendy), Bernadett Fogarassy (Mrs. Darling), András Fogarassy (Mr. Darling/Captain Hook), Bálint Tóth (John), Áron Tucker (Michael), plus Tinker Bell and Mr. Smee. Music by Imre Harmath, lyrics by László Lénárt, set by G. Péter Halász, directed by Csaba Molnár. Wendy lives an ordinary London life—until Peter whisks her to Neverland, where no one grows up and the Lost Boys battle pirates daily. By Imre Harmath and László Lénárt.

Same Time, Next Year

April 18, 2026, Saturday, 19:00. The Pesti Artists’ Theatre (Pesti Művész Színház) stages Bernard Slade’s two-act comedy, a Broadway hit with 1,400+ performances, Tony-nominated, and later an Oscar-nominated film. Doris and George are married—to other people—but spend one February weekend together every year, and a fling deepens into a profound human bond. Cast: Géza Egyházi (George), Bernadett Fogarassy (Doris).

The Jungle Book: the musical

May 17, 2026, Sunday, 17:00. By László Dés – Péter Geszti – Pál Békés, based on Rudyard Kipling. Original stage version by Géza D. Hegedűs and Zsuzsa Radnóti. The jungle mirrors human society: fierce yet honest, governed by nature’s strict laws. Mowgli faces brutal tests and nearly loses to human cunning—until love calls him back. A sweeping finale places a new Adam and Eve before a world waiting for redemption. The music brims with power, uplift, and sly humor, with razor-sharp lyrics and stylistic parodies. It’s for youth first, but resonates across generations. Mowgli: Ádám Németh / Ákos Guba; Child Mowgli: TBA.

2025, adminboss

Pros
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Great for families: tons of kid-focused stuff (carnival crafts, clay, Peter Pan, Jungle Book) plus date-night concerts and theater for adults
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Prices are super friendly by U.S. standards (kids’ crafts a couple bucks, children’s concert around $5, even headline shows under $30)
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Easy to enjoy without Hungarian if you pick music, hands-on workshops, or kid musicals based on familiar stories; the vibe carries you
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Compact venues around AGORA–MSH mean simple logistics in town, and Szombathely is calm, safe, and walkable for families
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Good mix of local culture and international touchpoints: Hungarian pop legends, classic Broadway hit, and global tales like Peter Pan/Jungle Book
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Reaching Szombathely is straightforward: 2–2.5h train or drive from Vienna or Budapest, with frequent rail and good roads
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Compared with similar community arts centers in Europe/US, the variety per dollar is excellent and crowds are far lighter than big-city festivals
Cons
Szombathely isn’t widely known to U.S. tourists, so you won’t have the name recognition or extensive English-language buzz you’d get in Budapest or Prague
Some theater/comedy talks (e.g., One Life, Stormy Crossing) rely on Hungarian, so non-speakers may miss nuance
Evening concerts and club night skew young/loud; not ideal if your crew is only toddlers or early sleepers
Getting there still needs a regional hop—no airport in town—so it’s an add-on to a Budapest/Vienna trip rather than a standalone destination

Places to stay near Szombathely Lights Up: AGORA’s 2026 Culture Rush




What to see near Szombathely Lights Up: AGORA’s 2026 Culture Rush

Blue markers indicate programs, red markers indicate places.


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