Ieri 9 maggio si è tenuta la rituale conferenza stampa del Sziget Festival per l'anno 2023!
This year's Sziget will see renewal in a number of areas, such as thevisual experience, catering, sustainability and amenities. Some venues will
change location and some will get a new look. What will remain is the
unmissable Sziget feeling and the diversity of programmes, in the spirit of
genre diversification.
„Since the beginning, Sziget has beenconstantly improving and developing, with innovations in different areas every
year. However, last year, after a two-year interruption, we were happy that we
managed to survive the difficulties - which were overwhelming for many, and
which were attacking us on several fronts" - began the traditional
"big" press conference of Sziget 2023, organised by Tamás Kádár, the festival's mainorganiser. "This year, however, we are back on the road to progress, which
will be clearly visible in many areas" - said the main organiser.
Kádár stressed that Sziget will be much more spectacular, with severalvenues getting new designs and improvements in sound and lighting technology.
The hugely popular and internationally unique Art of Freedom will return,
bringing its stunning artwork and the visual power of its spectacular space
installations to the exciting world of Sziget. The now iconic "K"
bridge of Sziget was renovated in 2022, so it is hoped that this year it will
be possible to decorate the bridge leading to Island of Freedom again, in
agreement with the capital city. A major development this year is the removal
of the mobile toilets from the guest areas, which will be replaced by flushable
container blocks. These blocks will not only offer a new level of comfort in
terms of function, but will also fit in with the colourful hustle and bustle of
Sziget.
Sziget is also showcasing a new look in catering this year. Kádár said thatin the so-called food courts, which will be set up in the festival area, great
emphasis will also be placed on convenience services. In addition to the rich
local offer - which will include traditional "festival food", Sziget
will partner with well-known and popular restaurants and buffets - the
international offer will be expanded and special diets will also be available.
The organiser said that the prices were set so that the festival would not be
more expensive than comparable products available in the capital. "In
addition, each restaurant must offer at least one so-called "budget
food", with a maximum price of 6.5 Euro," said the main organiser.
Sustainability is also a key aspect in the operation of the food courts:
caterers will be allowed to use cutlery, packaging and ingredients accordingly,
and great attention will be paid to energy saving and waste collection.
The „greenification” of the festival is also continuing in other areas. Onthe one hand, the use of combustion vehicles will be minimised, and apart from
the most essential vehicles, only electric or human-powered vehicles will be
used for the transport of all those working on Sziget. "Our basic
principle is to ensure that the various vehicles cause as little disturbance as
possible to festival-goers," added Tamás Kádár, adding that a new
transport plan has been drawn up for Sziget this year.
In the field of environmental protection, the area of the gallery forestadjacent to District 3 - protecting the flora there - will be closed again this
year, in line with the reclassification of the forest as a nature reserve by
the Budapest capital and WWF.
To improve the festival experience, the Sziget organizing team is also"declaring war" on airborne dust caused by last year's unusual
drought. On the one hand, they have already re-landscaped Sziget, using
"grey water" - water from the Danube - to solve the problem of
continuous watering, and a new dust control treatment is being applied
throughout the festival area, which uses the humidity of the air to create a
slightly moist layer on the ground - preventing dust from entering the air.
The guest experience is enhanced by the VIP venues on Sziget, which are nowavailable to visitors from last year. The VIP tickets available for purchase
give access to 4 VIP sectors at a time, which will be set up next to the Main
Stage, the Mastercard FreeDome, the Ticketswap Colosseum and the Party Arena.
The guest experience will also be enhanced by the campsites on the Szigetsite, offering a variety of services. In principle, those arriving for more
than two days can pitch their tents throughout the whole of the Sziget, but for
those who want more, there is Siesta Camping in the north-west of the Sziget,
just a step away from Sziget Beach by Tanqueray, or Park Camping near the
entrance for shade. Sziget Ville is located in the eastern part of the festival
area, with set-up accommodation, and Caravan Camping offers access to private
caravans. Podpadopolis is a special camping village, an excellent alternative
to traditional tents, with a variety of services. Sziget offers a wide variety of
pre-installed accommodation, all of which is a great alternative to bringing
your own tents (which are often left behind on the festival site).
The entrance to Sziget will continue to be located in the inner area afterthe K-bridge, and the admission and exit system introduced last year will be
maintained, making it faster and safer for people arriving for big concerts to
leave. "Last year we had three sold-out or nearly sold-out days and the
system we introduced at that time tested well. This year we are also expecting
highlighted days, building on last year's positive experience" - the main
organizer said.
Greener Festival
One of this year's innovations is the aforementioned focus on increasingsustainability in catering. A key aim is to offer food prepared with a smaller
carbon footprint. To this end, the organisers have launched a campaign among
caterers, which will result in 80% of our catering partners offering at least
two vegetarian main courses, and over 40% of partners not offering any red meat
at all. The campaign also aimed to increase the proportion of Hungarian food
used by caterers. A set of seven sustainability criteria was also introduced,
of which at least two criteria must be met by all caterers.
Last year, 42% of the festival's total waste was recycled, and this year'starget is at least 50%. Work is continuing to reduce waste from camping.
Pledges made by festival-goers in a video message are being collected; and this
year a special camping section will be provided for those who want to spend
time in a waste-free environment and make a commitment to this.
Three new high-capacity drinking water stations will be installed at thefestival, where visitors will be able to fill their canteens with chilled tap
water, reducing the number of PET bottles.
And this year, on a trial basis, a special carbon offsetting scheme will belaunched for those arriving to the festival by plane. The aim is to offset the
majority of air travel within a few years.
Large musicvenues
The big musicvenues were reported on by Virág Csiszár,booking manager of Sziget. The list is almost complete, so let's see what this
year's festival has to offer!
The bookingmanager prefaced the event by saying that the traditional principle of inviting
artists and bands was followed this year, so the performers include big world
stars, established names, artists never seen in Hungary before, fresh,
exciting, emerging talents.
Commenting on this year's line-up for the Main Stage, Virág said that theymanaged to invite seven headliners this year, over the six days. They are Florence + the Machine on the firstday, followed by Imagine Dragons, David Guetta, Mumford & Sons. Monday will also see two headliners, Lorde and Macklemore, followed by one of the biggest stars of our time,Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy winner BillieEilish, who will perform for the first time in Hungary.
Continuing the programme onthe Main Stage, Sam Fender, Foals Son Mieux will perform on the firstday of Sziget, followed by Yungblud, Easy Life on the internationalline-up the next day and Niall Horan and Mimi Webb on Saturday.On Sunday, Arlo Parks and AJR will perform. On Monday, theheadliners will be preceded by Caroline Polachek and Lazza. Andon the last day of Sziget, it's girl in red and Yung Lean.
The epicentre of EDM this year is the Party Arena again, where different bigparty brands will be showcased every day. The first day is Q-Dance, who focus on the harder styles of electronic music,especially Hardstyle, Hardcore and Hard Trance. Awakenings will be joining Sziget for the first time. The Dutchgroup, which organises techno parties and festivals, is responsible for the
world's biggest techno event, the Awakenings Summer Festival. Rampage, renowned as the "biggestDrum&Bass and Dubstep party in the universe", will also be part of
this August's party circuit and NextLevel will be making its debut on the same day. Higher Ground will also be the venue for "house" artistsand emerging talents on Sziget. By now BeMassive is a dominant part of the Hungarian party world, with internationalartists. Brazilian DJ and record producer Vintage Culture launched the Born Of Music Addiction party series,which is now coming to Sziget. Virág Csiszár has highlighted some of the names
from the six-day Party Arena programme, including Adam Beyer, Reinier Zonneveld, Diplo, Tale Of Us and the Brazilianacts coming to BOMA Day, namely Maz,Ashibah, Mochakk and Vintage Culture.
Bringing together the best ofalternative electronic music, Sziget's TicketSwapColosseum - a boules stage reminiscent of ancient amphitheatres - returnedlast year with a reimagined and exclusive look. The venue, which has been
further enhanced this year with a spectacular design, is stunning and equipped
with state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology, and will star more than 60
performers over 6 days. Among them will be HerrensaunaXXL, a line-up of four major DJs, but also the Australian-born,London-based Mall Grab, theinfluential techno DJ and producer JeffMills, one of the best-known German house and techno DJs and producersDixon, and the Italian electronic dance music DJ, Dj Tennis. Also at the Colosseum will be one of the most prominentartists in German electronic music, three-time DJ Awards winner Sven Väth, one of techno's fastestrising DJs Kobosil and French technoproducer I Hate Models.
The FreeDome presented by Mastercard big tent, which brings togetheralternative music trends, is already full of names. Among others, English
producer, musician and DJ Bonobo, English hip-hop artist Loyle Carner, deep and progressive house musician Ben Böhmer, and Jamie xx of the English indie pop band The xx will perform here.There's also German electronic music supergroup Moderat, English rock band Nothingbut Thieves, French-American electronic music project M83, punk band Amyl And TheSniffers. English singer-songwriter and musician SG Lewis, English post-punk music duo Sleaford Mods and American rapper/singer 070 Shake.
Programme Director József Kardos spoke about the additionalmusical and the very varied non-musical programmes:
LoveRevolution Special on the Main Stage
This year,the Love Revolution Special returnsto the Main Stage to provide a 10-minute programme of presentations and short
speeches each day during the break between the changeovers, to raise awareness
of the social changes around us and the collective responsibility that they
entail. The themes highlighted are again globally relevant, reflecting on the
importance of the environment, human rights, equality and peace. In addition to
invited national and international guests, the Superar children's choir will once again take to the stage to encouragethe audience to sing together.
EuropeStage
The EuropeStage will be in a new location, but with unchanged enthusiasm and a colourful
programme. The stage will feature acts - not just European - that the
organisers believe could be on the programme of the festival's bigger stages in
a year or two. The main aim of the stage is to showcase bands that are not yet
established, but are of good quality and new. An important change is that the
venue will be moved to a larger meadow this year, as experience has shown that
the concerts attracted many more people than could comfortably fit on the
previous stage.
Some of the key artists who will be on stagethis year include Finnish rapper AsaMasa and Italian rapper Mezzosangue,and Latvian rapper Shishi, whomissed last year's concert due to illness. We will also see the British indie
rock trio Amber Run, who are on theverge of releasing their third album. The very young, but all the more
successful Italian metal band Stain TheCanvas have been to Budapest several times before, but this is their firsttime at Sziget and they are eager to perform their joint song with American
band Call Me Karizma, who will alsobe performing on the same day as part of their European festival tour. There
will also be Estonian electronic indie popper NOËP, Spanish special act QueraltLahoz, Belgium's increasingly successful The Haunted Youth, Irish pub music act The Mary Wallopers and English pop singer Adam French, while the programme will close on the final night withhomegrown Sziámi And Friends.
dropYard poweredby BOLT
Sziget's new venue, dropYard, which made its debut lastyear to great acclaim, represents urban style at the festival. It features some
of the most exciting artists from break, hip-hop and rap from almost every
corner of the world. As last year, dance and movement will dominate the stage
programme in the morning and early afternoon, before the evening and night are
filled with more and more exciting concerts.
As the break genre will make its debut at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the
organisers will also be paying special attention to showcasing the style at
dropYard. The programme will once again kick off with a morning "BREAK
YOGA" followed by workshops, performances and dance duels. In addition to
the many foreign teams, local dancers will also have the space and opportunity
to prove themselves. Cypher Town has also launched a qualification process,
where the most talented dancers will have the chance to showcase their skills
in front of the Sziget audience. In hip-hop culture, the role of DJs is
indisputable, which is why the organisers have invited several international
and national DJs to perform in the dance parties of the daytime programmes. The
daytime workshops will offer a variety of themes, allowing Szitizens to learn
the basics of up to six different styles. Once again there will be a breaking
workshop, including footwork, powermove, toprock, etc., as well as several
other styles such as house and hip-hop. Once again, the dance-off will also
offer a platform for Szitizens, so anyone can submit their entry and compete
with the invited performers. The ALL STARS battle, where the biggest names will
compete against each other, will again take place on Saturday in the late
afternoon.
The concert programme willstill not feature the biggest stars, but rather a selection of many performers
who are perhaps still unknown in Hungary, and who will surely attract large
crowds this year.
Nightly DJ sets will match themusical style of the stage, complemented by new initiatives such as the new
craze from the Netherlands, memetechno.
Among the evening's performers, Ukraine's Alyona Alyona has performed at theSziget before, but has since toured the world with unbroken success. Bizzey is currently the No. 1 rapper inthe Netherlands, and will also be performing a DJ set under the name LEYO immediately after his live show.We're looking forward to seeing the UK's Ayrtnand Proph, also from the UK, whowill be releasing a great new album soon. France will be represented by 47TER and Josman, and they will be performing on the same day. From the FarEast, we have the Korean Balming Tigerwith a crazy show, Japan's Kazuo &Taha and China's Alice Longyu Gao.
GlobalVillage
Once again,the Global Village stage has invited the best of world music from the Balkans
to South America, Mali to Korea and India to the Middle East. The programme
features a variety of local idiosyncrasies, unique rhythms, languages and
instruments, while the musical styles range from traditional soundscapes to
electronic music. During the day, there are music workshops and of course
concerts, so you can play, make music and dance at any time of the day.
The warm-upstarts with a salsa lesson by the Budapest-based Stéfania Allstars, followed by caliploscopic music by Kobo Town from Trinidad, Canada, Band Son Rompe Pera from Mexico,representing the Mexican cumbia punk style, and Bohemian Betyars, a favourite of Hungarian youth, who playfolk-ska-punk hits.
The GlobalVillage programme takes you on a trip around the world. From Odessa, Kommuna Lux and the Canadian-basedUkrainian project Balaklava Blueswill be playing their free tunes, from Norway, the up-and-coming progressive
folk band Gangar, and from Slovakia,Varkocs will be exploring with theirethno-punk drumming. The Parisian band of gypsy singer Marcela, the German multicultural band Lakvar and the French-Greek Deli Teli's musical cocktail of 60s rock'n'rolland traditional Greek tsifteteli show the diversity of nations. The English
band The Langan Band has a newpan-European album inspired by Celtic and gypsy styles. Ti'Kaniki from the island of Réunion will be on hand, but therewill also be the chance to go wild at the crazy performance of Estonian duo Puuluup or pogo at a concert by Greekethno ska-rock artist Koza Mostra.The joyous Belgian brass band OrchestreInternational du Vetex will also be on hand to welcome you. And if VinicioCapossela's name doesn't ring a bell at first, trust the Italian festival-goers
who won't want to miss his performance. Several artistic collaborations will
also take place on the Sziget, such as the French Alright Mela's collaboration with Pakistani Qawwali singer Shahzad Santoo Khan, or theAmerican-French-Lebanese-Armenian collective Al-Qasar, who will return to their roots to play "Arabicfusion". From the Middle East comes the new Israeli Balkan-Klezmer band Pulkes, who grew up on Besh o droM, aswell as the well-known Anna RF with their eastern electro-ethnic reggae tunes.
Among the national acts, the reggae band Manakyand the ethno-dark-rock band MORDÁIwill visit the festival. There will also be a variety of African music styles,
with roots duo Madalitso Band takingyou to Malawi, dancing Bamba WassoulouGroove evoking the hot nights of Bamako, and Mali diva Djely Tapa, who will surprise you with a charismatic performance. Lass, the "new Youssou N'Dour",will take you to Senegal, and the BCUC willtake you to South Africa.
And to make sure it's not just about the music, Circus Raj from India will bring a breathtaking performance ofacrobats, musicians, tightrope walkers and a fakir to wow the audience. This
show is a colourful mix of daring, drama, traditional tunes and bravado! The
Congo Massa giant puppets of the French company Archibald Caramantran will also invite you to dance, accompanied bya giraffe, a zebra and two beautiful birds.
Tribute StagePresented by AMC
The Tribute Stage returns in its usual form thisyear, with two performances of evergreen hits every night from 11pm. This
year's biggest favourites include Nirvanaby Dani Lugosi & Vilkó Takács, ACid/DC (ACDC tribute), Blue Cold Jalapenos (Red Hot ChilliPeppers tribute), Foo Lighters (FooFighters tribute), Italian Eurosmith(Aerosmith tribute), Dutch band Bald AsLove (Jimmy Hendrix tribute), and SmallThings (Blink 182 tribute), as well as PeterAndorai & The Graceband (Elvis tribute), Don't Stop The Queen (Queen tribute), MJ HiStory (Michael Jackson tribute) from the Netherlands and thehugely successful ABBA Tribute Show.On Saturday, in keeping with tradition, the next generation of musicians will
be represented throughout the evening by the home-grown Street Sixteen.
Stereo Stage
The Stereo Stage - the formerRetro Stage, as it is often called - is being revamped this year, with a new
name, a new venue, a bigger dance floor and a wider range of events. In the
afternoons, K-POP and other danceworkshops will teach the basics of salsa, Brazilian samba, funky,body-dancing, boogie-woogie and bachata. And in the evening, the usual
evergreen hits will be joined by current favourites, while on Saturday, German
singer Bellini will be reviving theLatin pop hits of the '90s with 'Samba de Janeiro'.
Music Box
This year, the Music Box stage will be locatedinside ArtZone, from 2.30 pm to 7.30 pm, and will welcome singer-songwriter
fans, with artists such as CharlieCunningham from the UK, known to millions, and Jófríður Ákadóttir aka JFDR, co-composer of the award-winning filmBackyard Village, for Icelandic fans.
The home-grown line-up includes Cz.K.Sebő, Boebeck, Kolibri, Bence Vavra, O'Sullivan and Henri Gonzo, as well as the rarely seen acoustic line-up of Margaret Island. This time, Soma Nóvé, who has played with manybands, will be performing an unusual acoustic concert with a selection of his
favourite folk songs. Other performers include Laci Sallai, Zoli Juhászand a winner of the Kikeltető talent contest.
The stage will also feature an international line-up, including Mychelle from the UK, Blair Dave from Blair Dave, Jack Botts from Australia and hiscompatriots The Dreggs, Joe Bel from France, Promsonya from Ukraine, Amistat from Germany, Andrei Irimia from Romania and Jorge Luis Pacheco from Cuba.
Sziget Beach byTanqeray - Everness Chill Garden
After last year's successful collaboration,Tanqueray will be the gin partner of the Sziget Festival again this year, with
an exclusive brand venue, Sziget Beach by Tanqueray. In 2023, festival-goers
can look forward to a beach bar and a host of surprise events at the northern
tip of Sziget. A new addition will be the alcohol-free Tanqueray 0.0%, so
drivers won't have to go without a gin and tonic. Also on tap is Tanqueray
Rangpur Lime, a fresh citrus character gin with notes of juicy tangerine,
ginger and bay leaf.
This year's Everness Chill Garden venue will be a space for consciousness,
recharging and enjoying community. The Evernessia stage will host presentations
and round-table discussions on awareness, sustainability and self-development
during the day, and in the evening there will be concerts with international
and Hungarian acts to match the mood.
Bands such as Curawaka from Brazil, Cosmyte and David Lesage from France and OrganicaElemental from Switzerland will be among the bands visiting us. After theconcerts, the best of the country's chill DJs will play until dawn, including Dynamic Illusion, Quantum Progress, El Ponchoand Pangani from Austria.
LightStage
TheLightStage will feature concerts by young and talented emerging and established
musicians during the day and a variety of DJ sets in the evening. The venue is
also a comfortable, shady place to relax and get ready for the evening with
great concerts or dance to the captivating beats in a dance floor with a truly
unique atmosphere. This year's acts include Nick Welsh, aka KingHammond, the iconic British ska figure who won a Grammy Award with LeeScratch Perry; the eclectic jazz and hip-hop sextet Studio Murena fromItaly; and the young Madrid pop star África Adalia. The Italiansensation Extraliscio, which combines traditional dance music fromRomagna, lisco with punk and electronica, will take you back to the Riviera of
the past.
Non-musicprogrammes
Cirque du Sziget
Cirque du Sziget, one of themost popular venues of the Szitizenes, will be back in its usual place, but
with more and more colourful offerings if possible. From early afternoon until
late at night, the 1000-seat large circus tent and the outdoor outdoor venues
will be filled with a constant succession of exciting performances. The tent
will host performances by four companies each day.
This year, thanks to thecooperation between Sziget and the International Federation of Circus Schools
(FEDEC), two circus schools will have the opportunity to present their students
at the festival. Last year's cancelled performance by Amoukanama Circus (titled: Tree) from Guinea will be presented onthe outside stage each day. Since they were selected for America's Got Talent
last year, they will be invited to perform on the Sziget this year. The other
circus school, the Baross Imre Artists'Training School's adaptation of John the Valiant (János Vitéz) will open the tent programme each day.
The students of the local circus schools fled the war in Ukraine, partly to
Budapest and partly to Prague. The CirkLa Putyka company in Prague took on the artistic training of the youngacrobats and students who fled to them. In Boom Vol. 2, young Czech andUkrainian acrobats perform together, sharing their professional skills and
personal stories and experiences.
The Canadian Cirque Alfonse company needs no introduction to Sziget audiences,as they return to the festival stage for the third time. The family formation
brings together members of three generations, from grandfathers to
grandchildren, and in their latest show Animal, they charm with theirtrademark humour and naturalism.
Each night, the tent's programme concludes with a performance of Humans2.0 by the world-famous Australian company Circa. Company director Yaron Lifschitz challenges the perceivedlimitations of the human body to bring out the best in acrobats. Their
light-hearted yet lyrical performance leaves no one in any doubt as to why they
are one of the world's most exciting contemporary circus companies.
The outside stage takes centre stage in the time slots between performances in
the tent. This year's performances include three female acrobats from the
French company Das Arnak, who willshowcase the ancient Chinese technique of hair hanging. The same venue will
also host a Chinese pole performance by the Argentinean troupe manoAmano. Perhaps one of the mostspectacular performances this year will be the Moroccan Cirque’s Colokolo's Chouf Le Ciel, which willfeature acrobatics, juggling and hip-hop dance, accompanied by traditional and
electronic music. The programme on the outdoor stage will close each night with
the inevitable fire show, a performance by the best Hungarian fire jugglers,
specially created for Sziget.
Theatre-and-DanceField
The theatrevenue, which was revamped last year, offers two outdoor stages and a wide range
of other events in the theatre meadow for those interested in contemporary
dance and theatre. There are performances from 12 different countries -
including Cuban, Mozambican, Swiss, Hungarian, French and Italian artists -
from noon until late into the evening every day.
Three performances will feature the breathtaking Into thin air, a fusionof contemporary dance and circus by the Dutch company Panama Pictures - three acrobats who defy gravity by floating andflying almost in mid-air. Ten young dancers from the Basque company Hika Teatro combine local traditionalmovement language with hip-hop, while the teenagers talk about their own
problems with uninhibited, unabashed honesty. Happy Hype, by the youngSwiss company Collectif Ouinch Ouinch,has won over audiences at theatres and festivals over the past year, and this
summer they will present their crazy show at the Sziget, where the public can
join in. Brutal, a co-production between Cuban Company Rosario Cárdenas and Momentos,is choreographed by Nelson Reguera, who Hungarian audiences have known as a
dancer with the Frenák Pál Company. Fantastic dancers and dynamic, high-quality
contemporary dance for two nights. In Last Space, a production by the Frantics Dance Company from Berlin, thedancers give an insight into their own personal, deep stories, into their
subconscious through the language of breakdance and contemporary dance.
Otempodiz,a contemporary dance production by the Basque company Ertza, is a meeting of two worlds: a Basque choreographer and twoMozambican dancers with different approaches to time through the language of
movement. The piece shows the collision and fusion of Western and African ways
of thinking. The festival will also feature the Spanish duo Led Silhouette and Marcos Morau's Los Perros, and two excitingchoreographies by the Italian SpellboundContemporary Ballet.
The French company Compagnie Dyptikis a regular guest at the venue. For five afternoons, the dancers use a built
metal structure as a stage, combining contemporary and hip-hop elements to
perform astonishing feats. Their performance is based on a workshop held in a
Palestinian refugee camp and draws on their experiences there. In the late
evening each night, the British duo Requardt& Rosenberg will perform Future Cargo in the theatre meadow.The performance will feature music played through a headset, while the
performers will recreate a science fiction-like world on the platform of a huge
truck, where dance, sight and sound will dazzle the audience.
As returningvisitors have come to know and love: the SleepingBeauty Project's sleep installation is open in the afternoons throughoutthe week for Sziget residents looking to relax and enjoy a guided sleep.
This year, it's also worth visiting at night, astwo lightinstallations will whisk you away to a magical realm of light.Portuguese artist Telmo Ribeiro's Cloudsin Garden uses lasers and smoke to create a mystical effect, giving theimpression that festival-goers are passing through a colourful cloud.
Participants can shape the clouds with their movements, blurring the boundaries
between reality and illusion. Hungarian artist Bálint Gévai's Glowing Leaves uses a specialprojection technique to guide visitors through an unusual exhibition where the
images are constantly changing and the surrounding trees and leaves themselves
serve as canvases.
Wandering Fair („Vurstli”)
There are activities for all ages on Sziget. Anexcellent example is the Wandering Vurstli,where everyone from grandparents to very young children can expect interesting
surprises.
The Karzat Theatre's in-house amusement park, a guardian of the traditions of
Hungarian fairground entertainment in the City Lights, will offer playful
Sziget residents unchanged fun and magical games every day of the festival. A
variety of target throwing, shooting and hitting toys will be on display, all
of which will combine to entertain the audience.
Alongside the games, guest performers will also add colour to the venue's
programme. There will be Argentina's EitisMagia, who will dazzle the audience with his one-man show and fantasticmagic tricks, and Troula Street Theatre'sjokey Spanish travelling dentist will roll around the Sziget in his
last-century vehicle. Italian puppeteer TheGipsy Marionettist returns with his best-loved marionettes, as does Catalantroupe Sienta la Cabeza, who willsurprise brave contestants and audiences with extravagant hairstyles.
Magicians, puppeteers, fortune-tellers, jugglers, artists and, to top it all
off, Germany's smallest Ferris wheel will be waiting in its usual place for
eager regulars and wondering newcomers, while in the evenings the Hungarian
dance-hall movement's bands will be sharing the stage and dance floor.
Walking streettheatres
It's no exaggeration to say that perhaps thebiggest stage on Sziget is that of the walking street theatres, as their
productions can be seen all over the festival. Seven fantastic performances
await visitors to the Sziget, with an emphasis on spectacle and surprise, but
also on shared experiences, as the companies and the magical creatures they
present interact with visitors, often when they least expect it.
In the Dutch Close-Act’s Saurus,5 metre high dragon-like creatures come to life before the audience's eyes. Sagals d'Osona, a 90-strong team fromSpain, will bring the fascinating Catalan folk tradition of the castellera to
the Sziget, building human towers in the most unexpected places on several
occasions during the festival. The Belgian band Fanfakids is made up of children and teenagers who will thrillaudiences with their unique blend of urban music from the mainly immigrant
neighbourhood of Molenbeek in Brussels. DeabruBeltzak, a group of Basque percussionists, return with Aker, the devil ofthe coven of witches. In their performance Les Tambours de Feu, the rhythm ofthe drums, reminiscent of ancient pagan rituals, and the fireworks fired from
the instruments and musicians are an unmissable experience. France's Mécanique Vivante will arrive in twofuturistic vehicles with a colourful Siren Orchestra, while the Paris Benares company will also returnto Sziget, this time bringing a huge black horse with realistic looks and
movements, but a gigantic size that will transport the audience into a world of
wonder. Last but not least, Israel's AsphaltTheatre brings us its marching show from the imaginary Chorbastan, wheremusic is combined with a lot of fun, joy, comedy and acrobatics.
Livingsculptures
For the fourth time, but still in a renewedform, the living sculptures will be presented at the Sziget Festival. In
addition to the open call for entries, two renowned representatives of the
profession, the Dutch World Living Sculpture Championships and the Portuguese
Staticman-Living Statues Masters agency, will also be delegating artists to the
festival, raising the standard. A total of 12 performances will be presented on
the first 5 days of the festival, from 16.30 to 20.00 in the afternoon, in the
usual location along the roadway between Cirque du Sziget and the Wandering
Vurstli.
Special mention should be made of the interactive performance of two-time world
champion JOHNman from Germany and Staticman from Portugal, who also holdsthe world record for motionlessness with more than 20 hours.
The stillness artists provide an interesting contrast to the hustle and bustle
of the Sziget and are a popular programme for Sziget residents looking for
relaxation during the day.
Think for Tomorrow
Ourworld is changing, with a succession of crises and opportunities, and young
people are facing challenges that previous generations did not. How can we
overcome sometimes outdated habits and renew institutions? Are our societies
working well? How long does individual responsibility last? The Think for Tomorrow site explorespressing societal issues from the perspective of young people, with the
involvement of young people.
The organisers believe in a progressive society based on equal opportunities, a
sense of community defined by the values of openness to others, responsibility
and solidarity. The programme of the venue will also initiate debates on the
relationship between social processes and the individual in the spirit of this
philosophy.
Each day will offer a different burning issue (climate change, what comes after
capitalism, identity politics, mental health, the future of education,
refugees) for discussion and creative reflection.
In Challenge the Speaker, Szigetvisitors can ask questions of the speakers and visitors take the lead in the
discussion.
SECESSIONAL DETOXwith the Museum of Applied Arts
After a night of action, thoselooking to relax and recharge after a night of action can visit the Art Nouveau
exhibitions of the Ráth György Villa in Budapest at the Museum of Applied Arts
every afternoon of the festival. An exhilarating atmosphere, spiritual
nourishment and a sobering awakening await after the parties until dawn.
Past-century vibes from Vienna, Paris, London and of course Pest on the Sziget.
The next day, as #artnouveau imagined...
GameLandHub
At the Game Land Hub (GLH),everyone can find the right recreation for them, as visitors can experience the
flow at 6 different spots in the tent, where they can try different games.
Magic Mirror
Magic Mirror has beencelebrating love, joy and acceptance for over two decades. It's a place where
visitors can surrender to the moment, discover their inner selves and learn
everything about the LGBTQ+ community they've never dared to ask before. From
immersive film screenings, panel discussions, workshops and English stand-up
comedy to concerts, the programme has everything that makes the community truly
diverse. And the now-legendary parties are the perfect opportunity for Szitizens
to dance the night away, make new friends, fall in love and let go in this open
and accepting environment.
This year's traditional film programme includes the lead actress in the
Pakistani film Joyland, who boldlyembraces her identity as a trans woman paving her artistic path in a very
conservative country. The Spanish singer LaSolis following a similar path, presenting her new and very danceable album at
Magic, but among the artists fighting for their own truth is Estonian artist Köster, who is not willing to acceptbinary boundaries and is calling for much more individual freedom.
Catalan Lluís Garau's Fleshperformance presents a very deep social critique, in which the performing
dancer-choreographer connects to sex chat sites in real time and shows the
everyday life of a part of the gay community. Another Catalan guest will be in
the tent, Na Pai, a queer theoristwith a practical approach, who will offer two workshops to help you navigate
different ways of living and relating: her workshops on non-monogamy and
"sexual capital" will put relationships, whatever their orientation,
into a surprising perspective.
But for alternatives to interconnectedness, you don't even have to go next
door: the performance Tryangle by the young Hungarianchoreographer Domokos Kovács, inwhich Sziget is a co-production partner, explores how traditional male-female
roles influence the dynamics of a couple relationship, and how much the
traditional roles expected by society predestine the power relations. Partly
addressing similar questions and a very different form of dance, WhenLove Walked In by the world-famous Israeli duo Yossi Berg and Oded Grafexplores the radical difference between the way Western culture teaches us
about love and the way we live it in reality. Exploring similar possibilities
through a completely different expression and dynamic, Savage Works' Flip It, a performance of aerialacrobatics mixed with contemporary dance, explores the various possibilities of
connection in a stunningly visual form.
Of course, the image of love will not only be in the dance: the increasingly
successful Mirror Talks (TheConstruction of Love; Sex & Drugs & Alcohol), but also broadersocial issues such as the differences between Pride in Western and Eastern
Europe (East of Pride), and of course what gender means and how much itmatters in today's world - not just within LGBTQ+ culture. .. The importance -
and neglect - of gender is captured extremely well by Hungarian Amadea, who takes a refreshing approachto androgyny on the outdoor stage.
The Magic Mirror is the home of SzigetComedy, the English-language stand-up comedy programme that has beenrunning successfully for many years. The programme continues to be hosted by Dave Thompson, who played Tinky Winkyin the Teletubbies and for the sixth year running has hosted two or three guest
comedians each night on the Sziget Comedy stage. This summer, stand-up
performers from nine countries are coming to the show, including Bangladesh,
Japan, India, Hungary, Finland, New Zealand and Germany.
The outside stage will be mainly used for workshops, with Spanish voguing
workshop by Raisha Cosima, who isnow part of the Magic family. But there will also be plenty of lessons to learn
from at home: the Bence Balogh teamwill be giving urban dance classes, and if visitors don't have enough body to
move, they can try the hula hoop with Australian Chris Gogler!
The best known side of Magic is the world of nightclubs. The main show at 11pm
every day is usually the most anticipated, with the organisers once again
coming up with something new. This time it's the British Queenz, whose queens
will have everyone dancing and singing their hearts out to the biggest gay hits
of recent years.
The night line-up includes Cakes DaKilla from the US, who's been making waves for a while. His outspokenlyrics and r'n'b with house rhythms have propelled him to the forefront of the
black gay community for years, and his recently released new album is an even
more powerful flash of rap, gay rights and the struggles for equality for black
people in America. This year, some of the Budapest scene will also be on the
march. For example, the DJs from the ever-renewing Alterego Club in Budapest will be there, accompanied by Lady Dumper and her courtiers. There will also be a touch of Berlin thanks to Katya Kóv and regular Berghain guestsSnax and ND Baumecker's Snecker, whowill be accompanied by Budapest's Mirrorman.The Maltese-based Lollipop, who havebeen talked about all over Europe, will be another party to remember, and their
guests, the divas of Vienna's QueensBrunch, will add to the evening's glamour. On Saturday and Sunday, thedivas will be inviting Sitizens to a brunch party at noon, turning the Magic
Mirror tent into a heavenly restaurant. A special day will be dedicated to the
hidden treasures of the Baltic States.After the screening of the Lithuanian film (Summer of Sangaile), aspecial Baltic drag ball will beheld in the evening, with the participation of Lithuanian Miss Plastica and Latvian MetraSaberova, among others, and at night, some of the most important BalticDJs, producers and performers will play under the banner Baltic Beats: Lithuanian Gemayel,Estonian Köster and Latvian Ksenia Kamikaza.
Equality for women has always been an importantissue for Magic Mirror. This year, they're representing this by inviting women
to the front of the line - through the Femmesto the Front party, they're showcasing some of the best female DJs on theBudapest scene: the names of Kali, Vatsanah and Launeed little explanation to the house, techno and electronic audiences in
general Finally, the closing party will feature both girls and boys. After Kalina, who are increasingly in demandin Brazil, the Garçons, who havebeen unstoppable in Budapest for years, will close the magic party.
ArtZone
The ArtZone venue, organisedby the Medence Csoport (Pool Group),will again be one of the most popular venues of the Sziget Festival, where
prominent representatives of different artistic disciplines will offer
interactive programmes for the entire duration of the festival, from noon until
8 pm every day. Nowadays, recreation is perhaps even more important than
relaxation, and there is a growing demand for social initiatives that help us
to be present again. In addition to the interactive programmes and the
professionalism to which they are accustomed, the organisers are also keen to
provide a relaxed and accepting atmosphere for visitors' imagination, in
keeping with the spirit and the main ideas of the festival.
In addition to the all-day interactive programme and the installations that
will be on display throughout the whole of the Sziget, one of ArtZone's key
missions will be upcycling, which is one of the key drivers and sources of
inspiration for today's visual and applied arts, alongside recycling.
Before I Die
Candy Chang is aninternationally renowned American designer-artist. Her work seeks to transform
individual ideas into a communal force. One of her best-known street art
projects, which has gone global, is the BeforeI Die wall. This initiative, too, has a key mission to increase communityactivism. The aim is to transcend the boundaries of individual isolation. The
wall creates an opportunity for individuals to share their desires, hopes,
fears and stories with each other.
Ji Ching Labyrinth
After a brief hiatus, thisyear sees the return of the ever-popular octagonal labyrinth, created by the ÉlőképSzínház (Live Image Theatre), which brings to life the messages of theancient Chinese book of advice, the Ji Ching, or Book of Changes, in a
participatory theatre performance of self-awareness.
Sport Zone by Jana
In every continent, in everycountry of the world, sport is an important part of life and a constant
feature. People, regardless of age and gender, invest time and energy to be
healthy and fit day by day. The Sziget is different from other festivals, here,
when the sun rises, life goes on, with colourful daytime programmes,
entertainment and cultural activities and, of course, the opening of the Sports
Venue. The Sport Zone is open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., so you can drop
in at any time during the day if you want to get a good workout.
Civic Sziget
The Civic Sziget is one of themost colourful and interesting aspects of the festival, a meeting place where
young people can get information, services, help and join the work of the
organisations that are visiting the festival on the topics that interest them
most - environmental protection, human and minority rights, studying and
working abroad, drug problems, healthy lifestyles.
XS Land
In Sziget's interactive themepark, the organisers will present the challenges faced by people with
disabilities in their everyday lives, with the help of games developed and
operated by several disability advocacy organisations. Through personal
experiences in a playful and entertaining way, they aim to achieve a change in
social attitudes towards people with disabilities. The Easy XS Camping, which
is located next to the theme park, will provide easy access to the festival
with a range of camping and other services for visitors who need special
assistance to relax. Camping capacity is limited, therefore registration is
required. The campsite also has accessible toilets and accessible bathing
facility containers.
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