Keszthely
KeszthelyFest, considered the largest event in the western Balaton region, will primarily offer the experience of live music, as well as an Italian way of life and the world of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, on the first weekend of July.
At a press conference on Tuesday to announce the program, Mayor Gergely Tóth said that the city and region’s largest series of events will take place over four days. What was once a commercial festival has evolved into a high-quality event that continues to attract large crowds, while also serving as a festival for the local communities.
He highlighted the programs for Tolkien Days, now being held for the second time, which will bring the world of Middle-Earth to life in the Castle Garden in collaboration with the Hungarian Tolkien Society. During Tolkien Days, in addition to interactive family activities and programs featuring music, singing, and dancing, the audience can also look forward to a parade of elves stretching from the main square to the pier.
Osvald Bálint, director of the Károly Goldmark Cultural Center, explained that the festival is primarily about live music, featuring a wide range of pop music styles and genres across four stages—from alternative rock to modern interpretations of café-style Gypsy music, reggae, and electro-pop.
Irie Maffia, Budapest Bár, and Lóci Játszik will perform on the main stage at KeszthelyFest, while the Freddie Acoustic Trio, the Klára Hajdu Quartet, the Martina Király Trio, and others will welcome music lovers in the courtyard of the Amazon House Visitor Center. The new generation will be represented by Moriones, Solére, and, among local musicians, the EsSense Trio.
Sterbinszky and Mynea will keep the party going late into the night on Friday, while the DJs from No1 DanceZone will take over on the other days. An acoustic stage will be set up on Keszthely’s pedestrian street this year, and of course, culinary offerings will also be available for the series of events expected to attract crowds of several thousand, the director noted.
Tímea Farkas, an associate professor in the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Pécs, noted that, while preserving the festival’s multidisciplinary nature, the KeszthelyFest(A) Italiana cultural program series will be held for the fifth time this year. In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Budapest, they will host educational lectures, musical performances, and a quiz night in the courtyard of the Pethő House in Keszthely.
Via MTI; Featured image: Pixabay
