The University of Szeged’s 30th Autumn Cultural Festival starts on Thursday, October 1, with the opening of an exhibition of paintings by Ferenc Pataki, followed by a light show and concerts. Organized by the SZTE Cultural Office, the two-month festival will feature 350 events across 80 venues.
“We are proud that the University of Szeged places such great emphasis on culture and on the intellectual disciplines that help make us human. Over the next two months, nearly 350 events will take place across 80 venues. Each year, the festival attracts close to ten thousand visitors,” emphasized Prof. Dr. Zoltán Kónya, Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs and Innovation at SZTE, at a press conference held in the SZTE Main Building on September 29 to present the program of the 30th Autumn Cultural Festival.
Professor Kónya noted that the festival brings the university community closer together, including the 8,000–9,000 new students who can take part in a wide range of cultural events each year. He added that Ervin Nagy, State Secretary for Culture, will also attend the festival’s opening on October 1.
The Autumn Cultural Festival returns this year with an exceptionally diverse program, said Gabriella Tajti, Head of the SZTE Cultural Office, which is responsible for organizing the festival. Marking its 30th anniversary, the festival looks both back and ahead, revisiting some of the most memorable and popular events of the past three decades while introducing a range of new additions.
“Traditionally, the Autumn Cultural Festival begins on October 1 – World Music Day. The day’s program gets underway with Poetry at Noon (Vers délben), a series launched twelve years ago. This year, Tamás Borovics, actor at the Szeged National Theater and recipient of the SZTE Audience Award, will recite the first poem in front of the Main Building on Dugonics Square. At 6 p.m., Prof. Dr. Péter Zakar, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Public Relations, will officially open the festival in the atrium, where Alignments (Együttállások), an exhibition of paintings by Ferenc Pataki, will also open. Before and after the ceremony, visitors can enjoy a variety of programs on Dugonics Square, including concerts and a folk-dance house event, followed by a light show,” Tajti said.
The opening night will feature a varied lineup of performers on Dugonics Square. To start, Szeged-based rock band OnlyCash and the Tiszavirág Folk Dance Ensemble will take the stage, followed by artists from the Szeged National Theater, who will perform songs from the popular Hungarian musical The Attic (A padlás) as part of the light show. The Hirtelen Band will then round off the evening.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
Beyond the opening celebrations, the festival will continue to showcase the breadth of cultural life at SZTE. It brings the University’s art groups and aspiring student artists together with renowned performers and creators, offering emerging talent the opportunity to reach audiences from both the University and the wider Szeged community. Among this year’s highlights is the Fool Moon Acappella Festival, which gets underway on October 2 at the IH Event Center.
Another audience favorite, Hungarian singer-songwriter Balázs Szabó, returns on October 13 with a solo performance at 7 p.m. in the ceremonial hall of the Main Building. On October 16, the exhibition 1956 in Szeged – MEFESZ 70 will open in the foyer of the SZTE Klebelsberg Library and Archives, marking the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Later that evening, pianist Balázs Fülei and violinist Sebestyén Sztathatosz will take the stage together for the first time, performing in the ceremonial hall of the Main Building.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
Tímea Schwimmer-Tóth, Program Director of SZTE Alma Mater, the University of Szeged’s alumni organization, noted that the Autumn Cultural Festival is not the only one celebrating a milestone this year: SZTE Alma Mater is also celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The first Alumni Fest will be held from November 13 to 15, featuring a wide range of professional, cultural, literary, community, and nostalgia-themed programs. The event aims to bring former students back to Szeged from around the world and encourage them to contribute their knowledge and experience to the University community. Nearly 50 distinguished professionals with ties to SZTE have already accepted invitations to the festival, Schwimmer-Tóth said.
The full Alumni Fest program is available on the SZTE Alma Mater website.
A selection of programs from the University of Szeged’s 30th Autumn Cultural Festival is available in English here.
Source: SZTEinfo
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
