Hungary expands Sziget Festival's arts garden as Szentendre hosts Danube cultural celebration

The Sziget Festival's 2026 edition introduced the new "Jardin des Arts," an immersive arts district where music, contemporary circus, dance and audiovisual performances intersect. Festival director Jenna Jalonen explained that the garden aims to foster continual dialogue among artistic forms, featuring acts such as the French collective XY, the Australasian Dance Collective and other international groups.

In Szentendre, the annual Gyertyaúzztatás lit the Danube with hundreds of participants, highlighting the town's multicultural heritage and sister‑city ties. Delegations from Italy's Gubbio and Vietnam's Hoi An performed alongside local Greek, Croatian, Polish, Romanian and Serbian community groups, while traditional crafts, water‑sport displays and culinary stalls added to the festivities.