Every September, thousands of people visit Buda Castle to celebrate wine at Hungary’s greatest wine festival. Hundreds of exhibitors present their wines from all around Hungary and even from a few foreign countries. Even if you are not the wine expert, the ambience and the festival programs will guarantee an unforgettable time spent in Budapest Wine Festival provides great entertainment for families with small children too. This year, the 28th BWF will be held between 5-8 September, up in the Buda Castle again, where you can sip your wine accompanied with one of the most beautiful, mesmerising city view. On Saturday and Sunday from 12am-6pm kids can take part in arts and crafts workshops. The youngest guests may let their creativity flourish with the help of expert grown-ups. In the name of environmentalism, reusing corks will be the focus of activities, in which children can build toys, gifts and decorations. Adults are of course welcome to join in the fun. During the weekend, kids will also receive free face painting, to get the full festival experience Budapest. Daily tickets are aviable from 3900 HUF, which includes a festival glass as well. For more information and other type of tickets please check the website HERE How was it last year? Please enjoy the summary of Wine Festival 2018 As part of a comfortable, cash free system, you can pay for everything you purchase at the Budapest Wine Festival, including drinks, foods and other products, using the Festipay Card. The Festipay Festival and Event Card is an electronic purchase voucher issued by Borkultúra Ltd. You can use the balance available on the card for purchases, while the balance that remains on the card can be reconverted to cash at any time during the opening hours of the Budapest Wine Festival, but not later than the time of closing on the last day of the festival. You can also pay by your contactless bank card. Useful tips to make the most of the Budapest Wine Festival Get a pair of comfortable shoes (possibly flat soled), as the grounds of the castle are covered in cobble stones Enjoy the Wifi at the Budapest Wine Festival: all areas are covered in festival wifi The festival can get crowded by midday at weekends: if you want to enjoy the festival in a more airy style, pick the weekdays, and the hours right after the opening hours Don’t forget to keep hydrated: get enough water to keep you balanced The castle bus will take you very close to the festival location: Bus number 16 from Deak Sq and Clark Adam Sq, or the Varbusz castle bus from Szell Kalman Sq are both cheap and efficient options. Parking by car in the Castle District is a hassle. Do join the fun Harvest Procession: people from all over Hungary take pride in representing the various wine regions in Hungary, plus locals in beautiful folk costumes represent the century old local cultures. There will be lots of singing and dancing as part of the procession. The traditional castle route of the Harvest Procession is: Szentháromság tér – Tóth Árpád sétány – Dísz tér – Koldus kapu – festival main stage. Check out the exhibitors before you arrive, so you can plan your wine menu from the lighter whites to the heavier reds with some culinary treats in between. Photo: Zsolt Szigetváry for Budapest Wine Festival, text via BWF