Local services
From the 27th to the 29th of May, children will take centre stage at the Nagyerdei Kultúrpark, where a new spring-renewed natural wonder, unlimited amusement park adventures and a wide range of activities await children and adults alike.
“As parents, we can all say that the most important goal in life is for our children to grow up happy, and although every day is Children’s Day in a family, we need a day when the community and the city celebrate them, a day that is really just for them, for them and about them,” Deputy Mayor of Debrecen István Puskás said. He added that Debrecen would offer a wide range of programmes throughout the weekend, with the Nagyerdei Culture Park, which will be a “real cultural park for children”, standing out among the venues.
“If it’s a children’s day, go to Debrecen zoo”, director of Nagyerdei Culture Park Sándor Gergely Nagy said, adding that they are preparing for a jubilee children’s day with a series of events to celebrate 65 years. In the spring, they announced the arrival and birth of many animals, the amusement park is in full swing, and they have managed to organise an event that will offer the richest Children’s Day programme ever.
Judit Erzsébet Kiss, the facility manager of the theme park Sziget-kék, said that the Pentecost weekend coincides with Children’s Day, which is why the programmes were put together with an emphasis on Pentecost traditions and folk elements, in addition to the classic Children’s Day atmosphere. On Saturday and Sunday, the Modern Youth Association will offer anime and superhero situation games and console testing for teenagers, while the Hungarian Red Cross will be hosting Teddy Bear Hospital and Focus on Life Saving programmes.
No children’s day is complete without arts and crafts, face painting and balloon clowning, but there will also be concerts: Holdvirág on Sunday afternoon and the band Kaláka on Monday.
In the spirit of Pentecost, the Debrecen Hajdú Dance Ensemble will have a parade on Monday where the king of Pentecost is elected, a royal procession is held and the decorated Maypole (May tree) is erected. The Bihor Folk Art Association will be setting up a real village hall where children can make rag dolls and build a castle with a pipe.
“There is a beautiful spot inside the amusement park on the hill. There used to be an aeroplane here; now it’s a beautiful hidden area, one of the most special parts of the Great Forest: a meadow surrounded by trees, a secret garden. Now this hill will also be an island of children’s culture, of children’s literature on Monday,” Judit Erzsébet Kiss said. The Pagony Bookshop in Debrecen will offer paper theatre, craft activities and fabulous programmes for families.
The zoo will be open to visitors on all three days, with a treasure hunt and a solitaire show. There will also be performances by local sports and dance clubs on Saturday and Sunday.
The Friends of the Book network was launched in Debrecen in the spring of 2022, at the initiative of the city, to promote literature and culture, with the involvement of book-loving institutions, businesses and NGOs. There are now more than 50 members in Debrecen and Oradea. The initiative has been joined by the Debrecen Zoo, the amusement park and the playground Sziget-kék.
Read more about the Children’s Day programme here.
