Zalaegerszeg rolls into late 2025 and early 2026 with a packed slate of culture, food, and winter magic. The city and its surroundings brim with exhibitions, festivals, and outdoor escapes, framed by the nearby Alps and the Őrség’s wild beauty. Families and groups of friends will find plenty to do, from immersive nighttime light trails to big-stage comedy and candlelit classical concerts across town.
Hungary’s First “Light Village” at Göcsej Open-Air Museum
The Göcsej Open-Air Museum (Göcseji Falumúzeum), Zalaegerszeg’s photogenic open-air village museum, transforms for the first time into a dazzling, after-dark light exhibition. Under the night sky, sculptures of people, crafts, animals, and houses glow to life, while illuminated gates and tunnels guide visitors through a reimagined past. It blends history, fantasy, and light art into a standout family experience. Sessions run repeatedly across the season:
– 2025.12.01 – 12.07
– 2025.12.08 – 12.14
– 2025.12.15 – 12.21
– 2025.12.22 – 12.23
– 2025.12.26 – 12.30
– 2026.01.01 – 01.11
– 2026.01.12 – 01.18
– 2026.01.19 – 01.25
– 2026.01.26 – 02.01
Location: Zalaegerszeg. Tickets: 3,400–12,500 HUF (about 9.4–34.6 USD).
Motivation, Burnout, and Fresh Starts
On 2025.12.09, psychiatrist and best-selling author Dr. Imre Csernus brings New Challenges Instead of Burnout (KIÉGÉS helyett ÚJ KIHÍVÁSOK) to the Dezső Keresztury Municipal Cultural Center (Keresztury Dezső Városi Művelődési Központ). Expect straight talk, real-life strategies, and a nudge toward change during one of the darkest months of the year. Tickets: 5,900 HUF (about 16.3 USD). Location: Zalaegerszeg.
Holiday Season Highlights
On 2025.12.22, The Attic (A padlás) screens at Art Cinema (Art Mozi) in Zalaegerszeg. A cult favorite in Hungarian theater and film culture, it’s a sentimental, supernatural tale that fits perfectly in the festive window. Tickets: 8,000 HUF (about 22.1 USD).
Two nights later, the lights return at the Göcsej museum from 12.26 to 12.30 for end-of-year strolls. Then, on 2025.12.30, comedian András Péter Kovács headlines In Time (Idővel), with opening act Boldizsár Fehér, at Dumaszínház’s Zalaegerszeg show inside the Zalakerámia Sports and Events Hall. Tickets: 10,590 HUF (about 29.3 USD).
January Brings ABBA and More Lights
The Light Village keeps glowing through January with extended runs 01.01–01.11, 01.12–01.18, 01.19–01.25, and 01.26–02.01. Mid-month, big pop nostalgia lands on 2026.01.20 with the ABBA Show at Art Cinema Zalaegerszeg. Expect sequins, harmonies, and all the hits. Tickets: 12,900–14,900 HUF (about 35.6–41.1 USD).
On 2026.01.23, Naked Truth (Meztelen igazság), a musical comedy rated 18+, takes the stage at Art Cinema’s Ady Hall. Tickets: 7,500–7,900 HUF (about 20.7–21.8 USD).
February: Operetta, Folk Energy, Candlelit Vivaldi
February opens with Zerkovitz–Topolcsányi: Princess of the Orpheum (Orfeum hercegnő) at Zalaegerszeg Art Cinema – Teremtükör on 2026.02.06. Tickets: 4,900–6,900 HUF (about 13.5–19.0 USD).
On 2026.02.17, Keep Playing Until Daybreak! (Húzzad csak, kivilágos virradatig!) brings the folk-party spirit to the Dezső Keresztury Municipal Cultural Center (Keresztury Dezső Városi Művelődési Központ). Tickets: 5,200 HUF (about 14.3 USD).
Then, on 2026.02.27, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons – Candlelight Concert (VIVALDI A NÉGY ÉVSZAK – GYERTYAFÉNYES KONCERT) turns Art Cinema Zalaegerszeg into a glowing sanctuary for strings. Tickets: 12,900–14,900 HUF (about 35.6–41.1 USD).
March Theatre and Spring Festivals
On 2026.03.13, the classic British farce Ray Cooney: Out of Order (A miniszter félrelép) arrives courtesy of Bánfalvy Stúdió at Art Cinema (Ady Hall). Tickets: 6,900–9,900 HUF (about 19.0–27.4 USD).
Looking ahead, the city’s Beer Festival (Sörfesztivál) pours into Zalaegerszeg from 2026.05.08 to 05.10, and the Pankkutya Festival follows on 2026.05.28–05.30. Expect taps, tunes, and early-summer buzz.
Stay, Eat, Repeat: Local Picks
Aquatherma Termálfalu sits on the Gébárti Lake peninsula next to Aquacity Water Slide & Adventure Park and the Thermal Bath, making it a smart base for spa-goers and families.
A year-round, 3-star superior hotel in central Zalaegerszeg offers flexible, elegant spaces for events, plus a restaurant well suited for business lunches and dinners.
In the heart of the city, a standout hotel-restaurant pairs diverse menus with great prices, hosting cozy wine evenings, culinary events, and weddings.
Jánkahegy Gyuri Csárda and Guesthouse (Jánkahegyi Gyuri Csárda és Vendégház), tucked in Zalaegerszeg’s green belt, unfurls a stunning panorama from its terrace, serving traditional flavors in a magical hillside setting above the city.
Kiskondás Restaurant and Pension (Kiskondás Étterem és Panzió) hosts family and corporate events for up to 170 people and offers lodging across 10 rooms.
Kovács Guesthouse (Kovács Vendégház), in the Neszele district, sits 800 m (about 2,625 ft) from Gébárti Lake, the thermal bath, and Transdanubia’s largest aquapark. Open year-round for guests who want spa proximity without the bustle.
A four-star, family-style pension in downtown Zalaegerszeg serves continental breakfast and, on request, half or full board in a classy, old-style dining room.
Another inn provides single, double, and triple rooms with breakfast for up to 8 guests. The restaurant seats 180, with a 100-seat garden area for warm evenings.
Vándor Vigadó, on the city’s edge amid the Zala hills, is a calm base for trips to Gébárti Lake, Aquacity, the thermal bath, the Őrség, Zalakaros, Hévíz, Kehidakustány, Lake Balaton, or even nearby Austria. It offers three double rooms with shower and WC and two triple rooms with shared facilities.
Mark Your Calendar
Beyond the dated highlights, Zalaegerszeg rounds out 2025 with scattered December programs and runs themed listings across 2025–2026, including January-to-December offerings in 2025 and targeted January, February, March, and May picks in 2026. Keep an eye on weekly updates—there’s always another light tunnel, laugh, or curtain call ahead.
