Fun things to do in Budapest is a breeze during the festival season, and luckily Budapest has wonderful festivals almost every month. The highlighted top ten festivals in Budapest for fun lovers are a must do:

Budapest Wine Festival

Wine Festival Budapest

The city is the home of the Hungarian Wine Festival where all wine regions and the best wine makers show their fantastic wines. It takes very little wine to feel great, as the festival has lots of concerts, foods, shows to enjoy along with the wines.

Sziget Festival Budapest

The festival is on an island in Budapest, hence the name Sziget Festival (sziget means island). Imagine a whole island turned into a festival venue with multiple concerts, theater shows, puppet shows, etc. Other fun things to do include the Sziget Eye, a giant ferris wheel set up in August on Obuda Island, bungee jumping, obstacle trails, and many other challenges. You will want to sleep but will be sad to miss out on the events while sleeping!

Budapest Beer Festival

Actually more than one beer festival, you can pick the National Beer Festival, the Craft Beer Festival (Fozdefeszt), the Czech Beer Festival or the Belgian Beer Festival – four great beer festivals in the city of Budapest. The city is full of beer lovers, join for a pint!

Budapest Chocolate Festival

Budapest Palinka & Sausage Festival

Who does not like chocolate and chocolatey surprises, hot chocolate, bonbons, artisan chocolate crafts, etc. Head to the Buda Castle to enjoy the annual Chocolate Festival in Budapest. Fun and sweet, a heavenly match for all visitors.

Budapest Palinka Festival

If you have not tasted palinka yet, you will have a chance to do so at the Budapest Palinka Festival, or the Budapest Palinka and Sausage Festival, where the best fruit distilleries present their Hungarian spirits called Palinka. Transparent as water, beefy as vodka, fruity as a heap of ripe fruits tingling your nose, palinka is a special Hungarian spirits biting your tongue.

There are many little and big snacks offered with the Palinka. Enjoy the concerts and shows at this fun festival in Budapest. Is it fun if you do not like alcohol? Sure, you won’t be bored. As mentioned above, there are two palinka festivals in Budapest, Hungary.

Budai Gourmet Food Festival

The gourmet food festival in Budapest is a long awaited event for those who love eating, which means basically all locals, and many tourists. Try Hungarian gourmet savory and sweet foods, drinks in this weekend festival. Enjoy the outdoor festival at the Millenaris Park in Budapest.

Festival of Folk Arts

Does it sound boring to hear folk arts? It shouldn’t. The Festival of Folk Arts is fun even if you are not that into folk arts. There are many other shows to enjoy in the Buda Castle where the festival takes place in August. To boot, you can buy some nice foods, drinks, local specialties and high quality traditional handcrafts.

Budapest Easter Festival

Budapest Easter Festival /Bogart Photo

The Easter Festival in the Buda Castle and the Easter Market on Vorosmarty Square are not to be missed if you are looking for fun things to do in March or April in Budapest. Spring means usually nice weather, so the festival and the fair at Easter are open air festivals with shows, concerts, foods, drinks and many crafts that make a perfect Easter gift.

Fun Festivals in Winter

Just because it is winter it does not mean that Hungarians stay indoors. There are fun festivals in the cold winter months too, but you will need to get some good thick coat to enjoy them.

Budapest Christmas Market & Festival

The Christmas Market in Budapest (or rather markets) are not simply Christmas fairs with goods sold, and street foods or mulled wines sold at the fair. Both major Christmas markets in the city center in Budapest offer shows (laser and music shows), and many free concerts.

Budapest Christmas Market /Tunde Lovei Photo

Head to Vorosmarty Square Christmas Market (by Cafe Gerbeaud), or St Istvan Square Christmas Market (by the St Stephen Cathedral) to enjoy the Christmas Festival. And if you should stay over into the New Year, you will be part of how the city celebrates with parties, concerts, dinners, shows and more: enjoy Budapest at New Year, whether it’s NYE or NYD things to do you are looking for.

Budapest Mangalitsa Festival

Mangalitsa Festival in February / March is dedicated to the Hungarian furry pig, Mangalitsa. At the Mangalitsa Festival you can try pork delicacies, Hungarian hot spirits, which traditionally go with the pork meat. Mangalitsa is a special breed, with lean pork meat: the breed is over a century old, with low cholesterol meat and fat. The festival is right in the city center on Szabadsag Square, close to the Hungarian Parliament, the St Stephen Cathedral and the Hold Street Market Hall.