Local tradition
St Stephen's Day: 20 August
Szent István ünnepe
Hungary's founding king is commemorated with a procession, a river parade and the largest fireworks display of the year over the Danube.
- When
- 20 August 2027
- Where
- The Danube embankments and across the city, Budapest
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Local tradition
- Official site
- budapestinfo.hu
Why it's worth going
The fireworks are the biggest public event in the Hungarian calendar, and the embankments fill hours ahead. If you are in Budapest that week, this is the night to be by the river.
What to expect
A daytime programme of ceremonies, a procession carrying the relic of the king's right hand, an air display and a river parade — then fireworks over the Danube after dark. The embankments on both banks fill from late afternoon, and the bridges close to traffic. Public transport runs but is rerouted and extremely busy; walking back across a bridge afterwards is usually faster than any vehicle.
Stephen was crowned around the year 1000 and turned a confederation of tribes into a Christian kingdom, which is why the date carries more weight than a normal national day. It is also the height of summer, so the city is hot, full and celebratory rather than solemn. Pick a spot on the Buda side well before dusk if you want to see the whole span of the display.
Build a day around this
Tell us you are coming for St Stephen's Day: 20 August and we will build the rest of the day around it — where to be and when, somewhere good to eat nearby, and the parts of Budapest most visitors walk straight past.
Plan my Budapest day →Or start from a tour that already fits
Every tour we run is private and priced for the group. Any of them can be moved around this event.
