Folk dancers filled Szeged streets for 15th Martin György Festival

NewsEvents

Jul 13

The 15th Martin György Folk Dance Festival opened Friday in Szeged with a vibrant parade featuring youth folk dance groups from across Hungary and Transylvania.

Dancers in traditional costumes marched from Széchenyi Square along Kárász Street, stopping at Klauzál Square before gathering at Dugonics Square for the festival’s official opening ceremony on the stage in front of the fountain.

Eight youth ensembles participated in the procession: the Árendás Folk Dance Ensemble (Hódmezővásárhely), Hajdú Folk Dance Ensemble (Debrecen), Dobbantó Folk Dance Ensemble (Szegvár), Galagonya Dance Ensemble (Jászberény), Igrice Folk Dance Ensemble (Nyíregyháza), Szeged Dance Ensemble, Tiszavirág Folk Dance Association (Deszk and Szeged), and the Visa Dance Ensemble from Vișea, Transylvania.

The event drew large crowds, with spectators filling the square and watching from the fountain steps. The Juhász Band, well known nationally and especially in southern Hungary, accompanied all of the groups.

On Saturday evening, the festival continued with its traditional Folklore Night at the Kisszínház, where ensembles performed before both a jury and an audience.

Beyond the public shows, participants also took part in professional and social programs, including dance demonstrations, detailed feedback and awards from the jury, and informal folk dance gatherings known as “táncház.”

The Szeged International Folk Dance Festival Foundation has organized the festival since 2009 on behalf of the Szeged municipality, hosting the international festival in even-numbered years and the Martin György Folk Dance Festival in odd-numbered years in cooperation with the Martin György Folk Dance Association.

First held in 1999, the Martin Festival was created to offer performance opportunities to Hungarian and ethnic minority folk dance groups from Hungary and Hungarian communities abroad, allowing them to present new works before a jury for evaluation and awards. Initially open to all ages, the festival shifted its focus to youth ensembles starting with its 10th anniversary edition.