Located on the shore of Lake Balaton, Keszthely hosts a special musical event every year: the Keszthely International Barrel Organ Festival. Since 2013, the Keszthely Tourism Association has been organizing this unique cultural event in Hungary with the aim of conveying values, preserving traditions, and building community. The festival is an integral part of the city’s cultural life and an important element of the local identity cherished by both residents and returning visitors.
Every summer, the festival brings the heart of Keszthely to life. The sounds of barrel organs and mechanical music boxes not only evoke the atmosphere of bygone times but also create a bridge between the values of the past and the experiences of the present. The program offers two days of entertainment for locals, visiting tourists, and music lovers who enjoy nostalgic moods. Because of its special atmosphere, the event is also popular among groups of friends and civil communities.
Each year, the festival’s creators mobilize their international network anew. Barrel organ players come from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, and, of course, Hungary, to create a lasting musical experience for the audience in Keszthely.
The program offerings of the 9th and 10th International Barrel Organ Festival were expanded with the support of European Union funds. With the help of the Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme, unique elements were incorporated into the previously traditional program. A new target audience was addressed: families with young children, for whom attractive and engaging activities were organized. Besides the barrel organ players, a band from Budapest also performed, integrating well-known and popular musical pieces into the melodies of the mechanical instruments. The organizers also aimed to preserve existing values while refreshing the event with innovative elements—helping the festival to renew itself every year while maintaining its unique character.
The development was implemented from EU funding in the project TOP-7.1.1-16-H-ESZA-2020-01954 under the Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme.
Find out more about the project in the Project Finder:Details
