Standup and music on the day of poetry
Hungary celebrates the Day of Poetry on 11 April, the birthday of Attila József, one of the most significant Hungarian poets, who died in Balatonszárszó. On this occasion, you can visit the exhibitions of the Attila József Memorial House for free on Friday. Afterwards, take a walk to the beach, past the train station, and visit the poignant statue of this poet of tragic fate, made of rails and lines of poetry.
Balatonfüred offers numerous events apropos of the Day of Poetry and the Miklós Radnóti Year. There will be an out-of-ordinary literature class with actress Hilda Perjési on Friday morning in the Lóczy Secondary School, and a Latinovits video theatre in the Vaszary Villa in the evening. Szabó Balázs és bandája takes the stage of Kisfaludy Gallery with poems set to music at 7 PM on Saturday. To make your decision difficult, at 6 PM also on Saturday, comedian Tibor Bödőcs Tibor recounts the adventures of craftsmen from Bucsuszentlaszló, titled Böllérbalett at the Balaton Szabadidő és Konferencia központban.
Pop & ice Cream
The pilgrimage of Hungarian musical favourites to Veszprém continues on this weekend as well. On Friday, the band that was founded during the Veszprém Street Music Festival 2009, Mary Popkids takes the stage together with Ivan & the Parazollal at the Expresszó Klub; on Saturday, you can enjoy the rhymes of Irie Maffia at the same place. Members of the sect of ice cream should pop in to Fricska before the concert, as the artisan ice cream wonders - like mint raspberry and basill lemon - are 50% between 2 and 4 PM on Saturday. Afterparty with experimental minds and music of Bin Jip at Hangvilla on Monday.
Pregnant air
That is, the air is pregnant with the smell of flowers, green leaves and Lake Balaton, so in spite of the capricious April weather, spending time outside is a must. Those in Gyenesdiás go full throttle again this weekend. Their current programme is the Easter preparation, where you can bake bread, paint Easter eggs, try oldschool toys and pet rabbits.
The farmgate market of Gyenesdiás opens the season this weekend with fresh catch from the Balaton. The 1st Balaton Fish and Farmers' Market spices its opening day with culture programmes, and they promise to keep up this tradition with thematic days on future Saturday market days. The local friends of nature, Forrásvíz Természetbarát Egyesület goes on a hike this weekend as well. Meet-up at the Zalaszántó elementary school at 2 PM on Saturday.
Life does neither stop on the south shore. You can visit the Krishna Valley to learn the basics of bio-gardening in the frame of 2-day weekend courses. The event requires a minimum of 5 participants, while the cap is at 15 participants.
Balaton wines, not only at lake Balaton
The Wineventure in Badacsony series introduces the volcanic flavours of the Borbély Family Winery this weekend. The homely wine dinner is accompanied by soft guitar music, 8+1 surprise wines and a Muscat Ottonel pommace pálinka. It is high time for a wine tour, anyway, so you can tune to the approaching summer with a bottle of Riesling from the vinehills of the Balaton.
When it comes to wine and Balaton, you do not even have to travel to the Lake this weekend. On Saturday, head to the Etyek Picnic, and join the fun with several Balaton winemakers in 24 locations. The Rókusfalvy estate, for example, will play host to the Laposa Winery from Badacsony. Entry is free, but you have to pay for what you drink.
