Pécs' Zsolnay Light Festival celebrates 10th anniversary with record attendance and Irish focus

The 10th Zsolnay Light Festival took place in Pécs, Hungary from 2‑5 July, marking a decade of the city’s illuminated arts event. Organisers announced a record‑breaking attendance of about 120,000 visitors, the highest in the festival’s history. The jubilee edition also honoured the 120th anniversary of Victor Vasarely and featured a prominent international program centered on Ireland, which served as the festival’s focus country. Irish cultural showcases included light installations by an acclaimed Irish artist, a collaborative Irish‑Hungarian dance performance, and a concert by the Kellegher Brothers from Galway accompanied by Hungarian musicians. Other highlights featured a video‑mapping competition on the façade of the Pécs Cathedral, won by the Bulgarian studio MP‑STUDIO, as well as street‑theatre acts, acrobats and fire‑spinners across sixteen “Light Path” stations. The expanded Zsolnay Cultural Quarter hosted the events, reinforcing the festival’s role in attracting tourists, energising the local community and strengthening cultural links between Hungary and Ireland.