Festival of Folk Arts Opens Today in Budapest

This year's theme highlights the Turkish influence in Hungarian folk art.

Festival of Folk Arts in Budapest (Photo: MTI/Marton Monus)

The 38th Festival of Folk Arts opens today featuring handcrafts, children's activities, concerts, fashion shows, dance performances and dance house events in the Buda Castle until August 20.

To celebrate the Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year, this year's guest of honor is Turkey, and the main theme revolves around Turkish influences in Hungarian folk art.

Around twenty masters from Turkey will demonstrate their traditional folk crafts such as ebru painting, in which dyes are poured onto oily water in a pan to create patterns on paper. The festival will also welcome Turkish calligraphers, felt and puppet makers, master weavers, coppersmiths, glass blowers, folk musicians and folk dancers. Several workshops and craft demonstrations will show the similarities between Turkish and Hungarian ornamental folk art.

The event, organized by the Association of Hungarian Folk Artists (NESZ), offers a selection of creations from around a thousand folk artists and craftsmen, and more than a hundred workshops where visitors can learn about the mysteries of ancient handcrafts and the works of the Carpathian Basin's artisan communities.

At the Fabatka Porta folk playground set up on Disz Square by the Hungarian Heritage House, families can enjoy children's games, handcraft activities, concerts, dance teaching, storytellers and old-time games, to name just a few of the activities on offer. The Gore Folk Playhouse of the Bihor Folk Art Association and the Bodorka Folk Story Kitchen are also preparing engaging programs for the event.

Among a host of performing artists, Istvan Pal Szalonna and his Band, Kalman Balogh Gipsy Cimbalom Band, Maria Petras and Band, Sara Timar and Band, the Fitos Dezso Company and the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble will delight audiences on the big stage on Szentharomsag Square. There will also be FolkTREND, a fashion show of folk-inspired attire.

On August 20, the celebration of St Stephen's Day and the Feast of the New Bread starts with a harvest procession and a blessing of the bread baked from the year's first harvest.

The festival also features Uzbek, Kazakh, Korean, Mongolian, Turkmen, Chinese, English and Polish artisans. There will be calligraphers from China, carpet weavers, miniature painters, jewelery makers and bell makers from Uzbekistan, and traditional hanji paper artists from Korea. From the United Kingdom, a master craftsman will demonstrate traditional handmade historical and contemporary felt hats.

Cover photo: Budpapest's Festival of Folk Arts  (Photo: MTI/Marton Monus)