The beginning of the 30-year-old Sziget festival in Budapest is drawing closer, and it awaits festival-goers with massive innovations: we can bid farewell to the porta-potties; there will be installed tents; and all food vendors are expected to offer a main dish priced at a maximum of 2500 Hungarian forints. The festival will take place between 10–15 August this year.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Sziget Ltd., a festival that started in 1993 and has become Hungary’s most important and largest cultural event. Therefore, this year’s celebration is about the festival’s milestone, but it also marks the beginning of a new era. The 2020 and 2021 seasons resulted in a total loss of 2.2 billion HUF, as the festival could not happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the company closed the previous year with a profit of 400 million HUF, as shared by CEO of Sziget Cultural Management Ltd Tamás Kádár during a May press conference. He explained that the cultural sector was practically left on its own during and after the pandemic, receiving little support to help overcome this period.
The chief organiser provided information on ticket sales as well. Sziget expects well over 100,000 foreign visitors this year, but at the same time, it also wants to lure Hungarians back to the festival. One of the practical ways of achieving that is the introduction
revamped student tickets that are available in very attractive packages.
According to sales figures, Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday have garnered the most interest among festival-goers. On these days, Imagine Dragons, David Guetta, and Billie Eilish will be performing. The six-day format will be retained this year, as it worked well last year, and in fact Tuesday was the only day Billie Eilish was available as the main performer, the organisers shared.
The most significant improvement this year will be in terms of amenities, affecting mainly the appearance of the festival grounds. Many innovations will be put in place: porta-potties will be reduced by 90 per cent and replaced with container-style English toilets. Attendees will be able to find large, hygienic restroom blocks within a 150-meter radius anywhere on the Sziget grounds. The camping areas will undergo changes: there will be more installed accommodation options for those staying 3 to 6 days. By having hopefully many visitors move into these facilities the organisers expect to be able to reduce the amount of waste generated by abandoned tents left behind.
‘There are few Hungarian brands in the entertainment industry like the Sziget Festival, and we will forever be grateful to its founders for creating it. We are planning a grand celebration this year, which also signifies the beginning of a new era for us: we not only want to preserve the legacy of the past 30 years but also lay the foundation for the next 30,’ Kádár stated at the press conference.
The most significant innovation in meeting the festival-goers’ everyday needs will be in the area of food services. The food courts will focus more on comfort and will offer more seating options. The organisers have encouraged restaurants and buffets to expand their vegetarian and vegan offerings. Additionally, cost-effectiveness has become an important factor, with the organisers requiring every food vendor to offer at least one ‘budget meal’ that covers a full-value meal and costs no more than 2500 Hungarian forints.
The full lineup of the 2023 Sziget can be found here.
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