During the summer Budapest is always dotted with festivals of various kinds. Come August 20th - St. Stephen's Day - the founder of Hungary, the celebrations culminate and this is the turn of the seasons from summer to fall.
This large-scale festival is put on for the public every year on 20th August. There is an exhibition of Hungarian crafts, a water and an air parade, and a firework display. This day is also a national holiday in honour of Saint Stephen (King István I.), founder of the state of Hungary, as well as the festival of the new bread.
In Budapest the colourful events start the previous night, on the 19th, with the Concert of Joy (Örömkoncert). The large-scale concert is always held in a spectacular and busy spot of the capital.
Among the events of the 20th August festival the Celebration of Crafts in the Buda Castle (Budai vár) stands out in particularl. The main day of this five day gathering is always the 20th August itself.
Every year around 800 traditional craftsmen and women, including woodcarvers, bulrush weavers, blacksmiths, potters, musical instrument makers, weavers, lace makers, basket weavers, and 'mézeskalács' (honey-cake) bakers present themselves to the public in the most spectacular gathering of Hungarian folk art. The pavilions at the Castle offer more than just the finished products for sale; demonstrations are held and visitors are given the opportunity to try doing some of the crafts.
The Celebration of Crafts has a real market feeling to it; visitors can taste various traditional foods of Hungary's regions. Folk dance groups and musicians from Hungary and all around the world perform their music and dance presentations on the stages.
In the other busy area of the capital, the City Park (Városliget) the Bread Festival is held. The Royal Order of the Hungarian Bakers (Magyar Pékek Fejedelmi Rendje) hold bread exhibitions and, at the same time, tastings.
The Red Bull Air Race, a speed, obstacle flying competition, increasingly known as the Formula-1 of the air, makes the traditional air show of the national celebration unforgettable. The great national celebration concludes on the evening of the 20th August with a spectacular half hour firework display over the River Danube and the Buda hills.
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