#Experience /

This weekend take over the Liberty Bridge!

Liberty Bridge is to become a car-free zone for four weekends this summer, starting this weekend and 3 more to come by the 5 August. The closed-off Szabadság bridge will be functioning as a pedestrian bridge only, no public transport will be allowed. Locals will be gathering together with an open-air picnic and party zone suspended above the waves of the river starting from the morning lasting until 22:00.

2017, the VALYO association started a guerilla campaign in order to liberate the bridge in the summer of 2017 as well. The whole Hungarian press immediately swooshed down on the topic, and the association was happy to use this avalanche: there was a survey asking how Szabihíd (the name of the project, derived from „Szabadság híd”, the Hungarian name of the Liberty Bridge) should look like; announcing a graphic design application with the support of the biggest Hungarian news portal and the participation of a professional jury.

Nothing could stop the bridge from being liberated again and the municipality leaders were only debating who would be the person to credit for creating Szabihíd. Valyo started discussions and agreed with the municipality that infrastructural needs would be supplied by the administration, while Valyo will be responsible for programming the reopened, traffic-free bridge. An experimental liberation of the bridge had begun: the bridge was traffic-free for four weekends in 2017 and will be again starting right at this weekend in 2018.

People created a democratic public space where all social classes and people of all age are represented and there is no programme previously announced. Events are brought by the residents of the city, Valyo only coordinates the programs of bridge and delivers the infrastructure. There were different events on up to six locations of the bridge from thai chi practice, sport events, classical and rock concerts, painting lessons, theatre performances to circus shows.

You can use the whole bridge as a pedestrian, except the southern sidewalk which will be used by the cyclists.  Trams 47-48-49 will not run during Szabihíd but there are going to be replacement buses. Cars can use Petőfi and Erzsébet Bridges which have much larger capacity.  On the bridge you won't be able to buy anything, so please bring your own food, beverages, anything that you might need at a public space. You can do it since it is just another square that happens to be in the most beautiful place in Budapest.

The full coordination of Szabihíd as well as its development since January is the work of the volunteers of Valyo – The City and River Association. Please support them with a pat on the back and some nice words on the bridge, and if you can, send us donations at Magnet Bank on the 16200151-18536955 account or at the donation counter during Szabihíd.

PROGRAMMES

14.07. Saturday

9:00-10:30 Sweat Dreams Budapest - High Intensity Intrevall Training
20:00-22:00: Surprise Concert

18.07. Sunday

17:00-18:00 Taoista Tai Chi exhibiton
18:00 - 19:00 Papito - A Different Player - clown show
19:00-21:00 Salsa on the Bridge - Baila Budapest
21:00-22:00 Papito-A Different Player clown show

Seeing is believing, just have a look at the video of  last year's event!

Cover photo and all info via Valyo & Szabihíd

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