Celebrate the Legacy of Géza Gárdonyi in Eger
Join us for the Gárdonyi Days festival and immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Eger, a city filled with legends and history. Géza Gárdonyi was a famous Hungarian writer who lived in Eger and wrote the novel The Stars of Eger (Eclipse of the Crescent Moon).
All programs are free of charge and open to everyone.
TuTu Jazz Days
Jazz concerts in Eger at the Valide Sultana Bath Ruins.
Monday, August 3, 2026
- 18:00 Jazzbois
- 20:00 Borbély Műhely
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
- 18:00 Nagy Emma Quintet
- 20:00 Cimbiózis Trió
Dobó István Square
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
- 19:00 Kustan Adam Trio concert
- 20:30 HOBO concert
Thursday, August 6, 2026
- 19:00 Cabaret Band concert
- 20:30 Budapest Bár concert (vocals: Dóri Behumi, György Ferenczi, Misi Mező, Frenk)
Friday, August 7, 2026
- 19:00 Anna and the Barbies "Testvér Duo" concert
- 20:30 Blahalouisiana concert
Géza Gárdonyi Memorial House, Community House and Garden
Gárdonyi Fairy-tale Garden
Géza Gárdonyi's garden, as he called it, is a village within the city. It is a calm, peaceful, and inspiring creative environment—a quiet island where good thoughts and literary inspiration flourish. The garden has lost none of its original atmosphere since the author's death. The Genius Loci preserves the feelings and ideas that Gárdonyi consciously built with great love and heart.
Eger and the István Dobó Castle Museum have been striving ever since to keep the memories, history, and noble culture alive in this place. As careful stewards, they preserve the writer's legacy and the character of the creative house. Through these events, they pass on and strengthen the messages Gárdonyi formulated for "the education of the nation and for Eger."
According to Gárdonyi, family is the oil in the lamp of life. The Fairy-tale Garden aims to be such oil with its professional, family, and children's programs during the Gárdonyi Days. We evoke the writer's creative workshop with rarely seen artifacts on display and related professional programs. Gárdonyi's fairy-tale figures and characters are brought to life through the craft terrace and petting zoo. We offer community and family games for all ages, allowing visitors to discover Gárdonyi's creations and messages step by step.
Come and let's make friends with books, reading, and literature again. Immerse yourselves in the world of fairy tales, grand novels, short stories, and tiny tales, right in Gárdonyi's presence!
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
- Gárdonyi in History: Exhibition at the Géza Gárdonyi Memorial House featuring manuscripts, sources, and curiosities from his historical novels and short stories.
- 10:30 "When we look at a famous person's portrait, we want to see what is invisible: their soul": Unconventional guided tour for adults in the Memorial House and garden.
- 13:30 Where there is no play, there is no art: Unconventional, playful museum exploration for families in the Memorial House.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Gárdonyi, the teacher (The world of My Village): Features the Fabatka porta folk playground for joy and relaxation, alongside the Micó, Muci, and Mirci petting zoo.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Craft Terrace & Games: Try folk crafts like wood carving, felting, bead stringing, and pottery, or visit the Gárdonyi-nook for secret writing and fairy-tale characters.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Children's Corner: Enjoy Literamóka family detective games, SzOrsi's paper theater, and face painting by Viktória Murguly featuring Gárdonyi's animal characters.
- 17:00 From the animal tales of Géza Gárdonyi: Marionette show by the Lóci Színpad.
- 18:00 Danced literature: A literary and musical production by the Pavane dance ensemble and actor Levente Tóth, featuring excerpts from Gárdonyi's works paired with traditional dances like the French quadrille, waltz, palotás, and csárdás.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
- Gárdonyi in History: Exhibition at the Géza Gárdonyi Memorial House featuring manuscripts, sources, and curiosities from his historical novels and short stories.
- 10:30 "When we look at a famous person's portrait...": Unconventional guided tour for adults in the Memorial House and garden.
- 13:30 Where there is no play, there is no art: Unconventional, playful museum exploration for families in the Memorial House.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Gárdonyi, the teacher (The world of My Village): Features the Fabatka porta folk playground for joy and relaxation, alongside the Micó, Muci, and Mirci petting zoo.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Craft Terrace & Games: Try folk crafts like wood carving, felting, bead stringing, and pottery, or visit the Gárdonyi-nook for secret writing and fairy-tale characters.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Children's Corner: Enjoy Literamóka family detective games, SzOrsi's paper theater, and face painting by Viktória Murguly featuring Gárdonyi's animal characters.
- 17:00 Investigation in the forest: Interactive musical fairy tale.
Friday, August 7, 2026
- Gárdonyi in History: Exhibition at the Géza Gárdonyi Memorial House featuring manuscripts, sources, and curiosities from his historical novels and short stories.
- 10:30 "When we look at a famous person's portrait...": Unconventional guided tour for adults in the Memorial House and garden.
- 13:30 Where there is no play, there is no art: Unconventional, playful museum exploration for families in the Memorial House.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Gárdonyi, the teacher (The world of My Village): Features the Fabatka porta folk playground for joy and relaxation, alongside the Micó, Muci, and Mirci petting zoo.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Craft Terrace & Games: Try folk crafts like wood carving, felting, bead stringing, and pottery, or visit the Gárdonyi-nook for secret writing and fairy-tale characters.
- 14:00 – 18:00 Children's Corner: Enjoy Literamóka family detective games, SzOrsi's paper theater, and face painting by Viktória Murguly featuring Gárdonyi's animal characters.
- 17:00 Downtown Outlaws (Belvárosi betyárok): Interactive family concert.
Walks with Gárdonyi - Flashmob
August 5-6-7, 2026
With the participation of the Harlekin Puppet Theatre, the figure of Géza Gárdonyi comes to life on the downtown streets of Eger. Between 10:00 and 12:00, passers-by can meet the puppeteers, get closer to Gárdonyi's world, and naturally take a photo with the spectacular giant puppet evoking the author.
Program changes reserved.
