39th Fest­iv­al of Folk Arts, Day 1

During the Festival of Folk Arts, the courtyard of the Hungarian Heritage House becomes the home of folk crafts: a playhouse featuring all-day activities, handicrafts, woven bracelets, felted jewellery, rush wreaths, and painted pendants is waiting for visitors between 10 am and 7 pm. As part of the programme, two times a day, folk costume shows reveal the richness of folk attire. The folk puppet theatre, the live music dance party, the storytelling sessions and folk music concerts ensure a great atmosphere.

Detailed programme

From 10 am to 7 pm    
Folk Playhouse 

Led by Piroska Pintér

Folk Playhouse, where you can create woven bracelets at the craft tables, is led by Piroska Pintér, a carpet weaver and weaving instructor at the Hungarian Heritage House, along with the students from the craft courses at the Hungarian Heritage House.

From 10 am to 7 pm    
Fabatka Porta 
Folk playground

The Fabatka Porta folk playground is a small family business, where the couple who dreamed up the toy designs initially aimed to arouse their children's interest in natural materials, Hungarian folk motifs and traditions. Thanks to the impact of new ideas, new tools and inspiring feedback, over the years, a whole little playground has come about under their wings, where the main jewel of the "Porta" is the carved wooden carousel decorated with painted tulips. Looking at the toys, it becomes clear that their favourite flower is the tulip, and many old objects are beginning to take on new life by being given new functionalities: a stool made from a mill table or the old beam scale turned into a balance toy. Young and old are all welcome who would like to test their skills at the Fabatka Porta playhouse. It's certainly worth it!

From 11 am to 12 pm    
Julcsi Paár: Round Forest 
A fairy tale concert for the family 

Once upon a time, there was a little boy, as small as my little finger, named Hansel. 
Hansel, however small, followed his dreams and set off to the woods, roaming the Round Forest. Wherever he walked, he encountered strange creatures, odd people, but music kept encouraging him, and dance accompanied him on his journeys. 
At the premiere concert of Julcsi Paár's CD: Hangoló: Round Forest, the fairy-tale landscape and the magical story come to life, and the audience becomes an integral part and a character in it.
Performers:
Julcsi Paár-voice, storytelling
Klára Csernók - fiddle
Endre Papp - viola
Bálint Könczei - accordion
Dániel Szabó - cimbalom
Péter Bede - wind instruments
András Bognár - double bass
Beatrix Pálffyné Tóth - dance
Gergely Csiki - dance

From 1 pm to 2 pm    
"Hey, on the meadow of Palota -  living heritage, living community" 
Folk costume show presented by the Rákospalota Historical Society

If we walk along the Main Road in the 15th district in Budapest, it is hard to imagine that on the very same spot, women in skirts and shawls would have carried their baskets while horse-drawn carriages passed by them just a century ago. The Rákospalota Historical Society collects and revitalises the old traditions of Rákospalota, like folk costumes, feast days, such as the harvest parade, or customs, like making confinement meals. They have organised several village days, song nights, balls, and a series of informal discussions with the title: How Was it, Mother? The Rakospalota Historical Society was founded by a group of friends who had strong roots in Rákospalota. Since their family had lived there for several generations, the members of the group were born into these traditions. They saw the grandparents farming, but they also saw how their relatives wear fancy folk attire on feast days, how they braided their hair, how they slaughtered pigs, and how they baked strudel or cake. Everyone in the Society works as a volunteer. They use local and central funding, but they also help the Society survive with their own financial resources.

From 2 pm to 2.15 pm    
Live storytelling with Sára Kiss, storyteller of the Living Tale Association  

The storyteller Sára Kiss comes from Adony. She has been a member of the Living Tale Association for two years. She believes that fairy tales bring people closer together, and that this closeness is something that everyone needs.

From 3 pm to 3.30 pm     
Álomzúg Company: Beyond the Glass Mountain or the Sea-Treading Shoes 
Puppet show

What would you wish for if you had a pair of magic shoes that could take you anywhere you wanted? Where would you go, to the Moon, to the sky, to Szeged or Érd? Is your heart's desire to go over the faraway seas or beyond the Glass Mountain? The fabulous sea-treading shoes are sometimes smarter than those who put them on, as they know our true desires better than we do. This is what Madam Hannalena, the uncrowned queen of the antiques market, tells us about…
The Hungarian folk tale is adapted for the puppet theatre by Melinda Papp
Designed by Katalin Szegedi
The images were turned into puppets and adapted for the stage by Anna Bódiné Kövecses, Géza Nagy-Kovács, Norbert Néder, Zsolt Néder, Katalin Szegedi and Kriszta Tóth.
Puppeteer: Kriszta Tóth
Street music by Éva Gózon

From 3.40 pm to 4.45 pm     
Dance of the Little Ones 
Lap games, dance instructions for young and older kids with Ágnes Tálas; music played by Gyula Horváth and Róbert Kerényi  

This family program aims to introduce the youngest children to a broader range of traditions in a high-standard and authentic interpretation. They should actively (not as passive recipients) participate in the live music dance house for kids, in such a way that the dissemination of traditions is on a par with the entertainment factor. Our goal is primarily to help the kids discover the joy of dance, to teach the basics of dance movements, to create a rich play repertoire, and to create a civilised form of co-playing. In this form, the entertainment, meaningful leisure time and the dissemination of information are presented appropriately to the given age group, enjoyably embedded in activity.
During the whole school year, on Friday afternoons, we offer a taste of the Dance of the Little Ones with the help of those who join us in this hour, our excellent session leaders and musicians.

From 4.45 pm to 5 pm     
Live storytelling with Sára Kiss, storyteller of the Living Tale Association  

From 5 pm to 5.30 pm     
"Hey, on the meadow of Palota -  living heritage, living community" 
Folk costume show presented by the Rákospalota Historical Society

From 6 pm to 7.30 pm     
ViGaD Ensemble   
Folk music concert and instrument show 

The ViGaD Ensemble was brought to life by three young folk musicians. Their name is an acronym of the initials of the founding members' first names: Vince, Gáspár and Dániel. Two Trior members now complement the trio. Their main instrument: the tamburica, with a whole arsenal of special Balkan instruments, creates an unparalleled richness of the sun-ripened South Slavic and Balkan music. Their music combines the natural beauty of folk music melodies with the formality of classical music and the energy of modern musical styles. This dynamic young group is celebrated in the most prestigious concert halls in Hungary and at major festivals in Europe.
Performers:
Dávid Csőke - violin, viola tambourine, saxophone
Vince Eredics - accordion
Lőrinc Varga - double bass
Dániel Zetelaki - tamburica
Gáspár Zetelaki -tamburica, derbuka