The Indian summer is over, and now we’ve come to the season that inspires the most beautiful poems – think crisp, misty mornings and leaves turning gold and red. If you are up for more than sipping a cup of warm tea with a good book in your hand, come and have a look around with us. October programming in Budapest promises to be just as colourful as the season itself, with modern art, fashion, gastronomy, photography, music and even more exciting events on offer. WORLD PRESS PHOTO / 20 September to 23 October, HUNGARIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM The World Press Photo exhibition once again provides a glimpse into the life of those who make the headlines – 161 prize-winning photos from around the world, revisiting the highs and lows of the last year from unusual perspectives. It’s a selection of the best from 73,000 photos entered into the competition by 4048 photojournalists in 125 countries. Regular guided tours and an equally noteworthy selection of stunning Hungarian nature photos from the last 25 years make for a complete experience. CAFE BUDAPEST / 5–21 October, VARIOUS LOCATIONS More than 150 events at nearly 40 venues in 17 days. Hungary’s most important contemporary arts festival will take centre stage in the capital for the 27th time: from contemporary classical music through pop and jazz concerts, dance and theatre performances to art exhibitions. This year, the focus is on the work of Béla Bartók and art in the Baltic countries. The festival will once again set the scene for the Budapest Ritmo world music festival, Art Market Budapest and the Margó Literary Festival and Book Fair. 7th INDIAN GASTRO FESTIVAL / 7 Oct, LÉLEK PALOTÁJA Visitors can become acquainted with India’s colourful traditional culinary heritage and more than 50 vegan dishes, many of them prepared on-site. A tea room, craft fair, henna painting, rice dishes, chutneys, exotic delicacies, flatbreads, desserts and aromatic drinks await the curious minded – who can also expect philosophical or lifestyle discussions. The spectacular open-air demonstrations of cooking in a clay oven will no doubt teach you a few tricks on how to use Indian spices and culinary techniques, as well as introduce you to vegan methods of preparing traditional Hungarian dishes. The craft sessions offered to children will no doubt be good news for families. TERRAPLAZA BUDAPEST / 14 Oct, LURDY HÁZ Exotic animal exhibition, fair, fan meet-and-greet and lifestyle all in one – this is one of Central Europe’s largest terraristic and aquaristic expos. A hundred selected international exhibitors and thousands of visitors await the young and the old on a 2,000-square-metre floor space. The event is free for children under 6. If you prefer to avoid the crowd, a professional ticket will get you in an hour before the gates open. BUDAPEST DESIGN WEEK / 5–19 October, VARIOUS LOCATIONS The 15th edition of this programme will offer over 150 events over 15 days, including exhibition openings, children’s programmes, thematic tours, workshop visits, roundtables, lectures, conferences and award ceremonies. Visitors will find programmes organised for the general public as well as events aimed at professionals. In addition to the various events on offer, the event also provides an opportunity for museums, institutions, schools, shops, design studios and galleries to make themselves more widely known. KÜRTŐSKALÁCS FESTIVAL / 12–14 October, GESZTENYÉS KERT Kürtőskalács (chimney cake or Szekler cake) is both a traditional and at the same time reinvented modern delicacy with over 200 years of history. The Kürtőskalács Festival is a tribute to this Hungarian culinary specialty, with 25 stalls offering exciting flavour combinations to visitors eager to discover new tastes. In addition to the traditionally prepared cakes, gluten- and dairy-free as well as wholemeal versions will also be available at the festival. Visitors who are perhaps a little less keen on cake can still indulge themselves in a selection of fine wines and pálinka, coffee specialties, cheeses, sausages, deep-fried bread dough and lots of other delicacies. Photo: Pexels