Advent Festival in Budapest Városháza Park, Downtown

A charming winter and Advent festival await visitors in Budapest’s city centre in Városháza/Town Hall Park.

Note: Date is Not Official Yet! (It usually starts ariund the beginning of December and lasts till Christmas)

Location & Getting There:

Városháza Park, city centre (a 2-minute walk from Deák Ferenc metro station and tram termini: M1, M2, M3 underground lines, trams 47 and 49).

You can also get there by buses No. 9, 15, 105: get off at Deák F. tér stop.

Advent festival in Varoshaza Park with the lights on at night
Winter & Advent Festival in Downtown Budapest

Opening Hours

Craft Fair:

  • Sun – Thurs: 10.00 – 20.00,
  • Fri & Sat: 10.00 – 21.00,
  • 24. December: 10.00 – 14.00,
  • 25 – 26. December: 12.00 – 18.00

Entry: free exc. Charity Gala Events (500 or 1 000 HUF tickets)

The Advent and Winter Festival in Városháza park, located in Budapest’s city centre, welcomes visitors for the 10th time in 2022.

The 5-week festival usually starts around mid-November, on a Friday and is on till end of December.

It is a smaller event than the official Christmas fair of the city on Vörösmarty Square (08. Nov – 01. Jan) but offers similarly rich cultural and family programs for both locals and tourists.

TIP: Don’t miss the spectacular visual painting depicting Budapest’s history on the back facade of the Lutheran Church on 02. December, Sunday at 17.15!

See detailed program.

Green cardboard Xmas tree installations

The tallest Christmas tree of the city – of 16 m height – together with a giant Advent Wreath measuring 10 m in diameter will also stand here in Városháza Park.

The festival also hosts numerous charity events to raise money for various purposes.

On the Opening ceremony on Sunday at 17.00 the first candle will be lighted on the Advent wreath together with Budapest’s festive Christmas lighting.

Programs of the Winter Festival Városháza Park (2022)

The concerts take place in the heated Hütte.

Friday, 30. November

  • Swing Over Concert – the duo will play festive Christmas songs in jazz-swing style

Saturday, 01. December

  • 11.00 – An interactive story play (Aranyszőrű Bárány/The Golden-haired lamb)
  • 15.00 – Tales from the Bible (for children)
  • 19.00 – Folk on 45 – Hungarian folk songs and mainstream pop music

Sunday, 02. December

  • 11:00 – Puppet show
  • 15:00 Tales from the Bible (for children)
  • 16:00 Christmas shepherd’ play by the Kabóca Puppet Theatre
  • 17:00 Lighting the 1st candle on the Advent Wreath
  • 18:00 Visual painting show telling the city’s history from the Roman times, on the back wall of the Lutheran Church

Friday, 07. December

  • 19.00 – Fourtissimo Concert – the popular Hungarian band will perform the most beloved Christmas songs in special instrumentation

Saturday, 08. December

  • 11.00 – Family magician show and Awaiting Santa Claus
  • 15.30 – Performance of high school students outside the borders of Hungary
  • 19.00 – Oti Voice & Bass concert

Sunday,  09. December

  • 11.00 – A children story with music by Szabolcs Róka
  • 15.00 – Tales from the Bible (for children)
  • 16.00 – Nativity Play by the Bábakalács Puppet Theatre
  • 17.00 – Lighting the 2nd candle on the Advent Wreath

Friday, 14. December

  • 19.00 – Petruska Concert

Saturday, 15. December

  • 11.00 – An Old Christmas – Puppet Show by the Aranyszamár Puppet Theatre
  • 15.00 – Tales from the Bible (for children)
  • Christmas Concert by Attila Dóka Akusztik
  • 19.00 – Hot jazz  & cool swing concert

Sunday, 17. December

  • 11.00 – Stars of December – Portéka Theatre
  • 15.00 – Tales from the Bible (for children)
  • 17.00 – Lighting the 3rd candle on the Advent Wreath

Friday,  21. December

  • 19.00 – Cimbaliland concert – folk music combined with modern music styles

Saturday, 22. December

  • 11.00 – Interactive winter play with music (children’s program)
  • 15.00 – Tales from the Bible (for children)

Sunday, 23. December

  • 11.00 – In Snow fall – Eszter Kárász and the Eszterlánc story band (Kids’ Program)
  • 15.00 – Tales from the Bible (for children)
  • 16.00 – Nativity Play
  • 17.00 – Lighting the 4th candle on the Advent Wreath
  • 19.00 – Orsi Kozma and Gábor Cseke duo Concert

See also the official website of the event!

TIP: The Christmas Market & Festival by Budapest Basilica is not far from Városháza park so it’s a good idea to combine visiting these two holiday fairs all at once. The fair at the Basilica starts on 17. November 2023 and welcomes eveyone till 01. January 2024. A wide offer of food and drinks, cratf fair, concerts, light painting and ice-skating welcome visitors.

We also have a full list of all the Christmas markets happenning in Budapest in 2023.

Related:

December Things to Do in BudapestWhat To Do On Christmas Eve In Budapest?Christmas Cruises In Budapest 2023Advent in ÓbudaChristmas and New Year Fair on Vörösmarty SqrNew Year Programs in Budapest Budapest Restaurants for Christmas/New Year