As part of the national holiday celebrations on the 20th August the Debrecen Flower Carnival has always been one of the most popular and spectacular festivals in Hungary. The history of the Flower Carnival dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The festival itself, which has recently evolved into a week-long fiesta (August 15-21), routinely offers a wide variety of events, curiosities, and novelties year after year. Cultural events such as theatre plays, handicraft fair, dance performances, classical and other concerts, puppet theatre performances, playgrounds and traditional gastronomy are waiting for visitors.

Detailed program:

The top of these event series is the Flower Carnival on August 20, the Saint Stephen’s Day, who had established the Hungarian State more than 1000 years ago, and also the day of new bread. The carnival starts at 7:30 a.m. in Petőfi Square and the floats clad in flowers and the art ensembles from home and abroad parade go along the main street of the city called Piac utca and through the city on a 5 km long route up until the Istvan Gyulai Athletic Stadium (proposed route: Petofi square, Kossuth square (Great Temple), Hatvan street, Bethlen street, Hunyadi Street, Péterfia road, Bem square, Simonyi road, Great Forest Boulevard, Gabor Olah street). Between the spectacular flower cars the invited dance groups and bands entertain the public. The parade arrives at the stadium at around 10 a.m. where the cars and the performers go around showing their best to the audience and the jury who awards the most beautiful cars and the best groups later the day. After the parade in the afternoon visitors can take a closer look at the flower cars and watch the performance of the groups in the stadium. The flower cars and the performers march through the city again in evening. They start 8:00 p.m. on the same route. Fireworks and a street party close the carnival at night. The parade is for free standing by the streets. Tickets for the Stadium and street grandstands are available at the Kölcsey Center, Apolló Cinema, Tourinform office and the Istvan Gyulai Athletic Stadium.

During the day on 20th August other colourful carnival programmes are held on several locations of the city. The “Nagyerdei” Handcraft Fair is waiting for the lovers of folk arts, traditional crafts and many other gifts along the Ady street from 8:00 till 20:00 on 20th August.

The 2013 Czech Beer Festival now celebrates its 2nd anniversary in Debrecen. The organizers bring Hungarian and Czech breweries and beer-lovers together around the Békás Lake (Békás-tó). They prepared a selection of the best from Hungarian and Czech breweries, Czech dishes and many other Czech-related surprises waiting for the visitors. The 5-day festival (August 16 – 20) brings almost 200 domestic and international beer types to beer-lovers. Well known breweries like Budweiser 1795 along with less-known smaller breweries in top quality will showcase their products. You will have the chance to taste plenty of beer specialties, Hungarian craft beers and other alcoholic drinks like Becherovka, different cocktails, and learn about the history of beer brewing. You can enjoy live folk-music every day. The festival opens at noon and closes at midnight every day. There is no entrance fee.