Debrecen4U
January 16, 2026
Hungarian Culture Day in Debrecen – 2026
On the occasion of the 203rd anniversary of the birth of Himnusz, Hungary’s national anthem, Debrecen is celebrating Hungarian Culture Day with a week-long series of programs. Details of the events were presented at a press conference held at the Déri Museum on January 14, 2026, by Deputy Mayor István Puskás and János Angi, Director of the Museum.
István Puskás emphasized that, in keeping with tradition, Hungarian Culture Day marks the beginning of a new cultural year in Debrecen, and the wide range of programs linked to January 22 demonstrates how vibrant and diverse the city’s cultural life is. As he said, it is not only on Hungarian Culture Day itself that numerous programs await the residents of Debrecen, but throughout an entire week.
The city leader explained that Hungarian Culture Day will conclude with a festive gala at the Csokonai National Theatre, where the audience can see the stage adaptation of Sándor Petőfi’s János vitéz. He noted that the theatre will premiere the production earlier that week, on Friday, so audiences will already have the opportunity to encounter the work. It was also mentioned that, as in previous years, the Debrecen Culture Foundation will award its scholarships on January 22, while the Ilona Várhalmi Prize will be presented for the second time on January 21, the day before Hungarian Culture Day.
János Angi spoke, among other things, about the fact that Ferenc Kölcsey was connected to Debrecen in many ways, and that last autumn the poet’s collateral descendants donated three pipes to the museum that had been used by Kölcsey himself. In this context, he noted that it is very rare for an artifact to have not only literary and cultural significance but also aesthetic value.
The director mentioned that the Déri Museum will organize and open its third exhibition at Hungarian Cultural Institutes operating abroad, all of which are based on the Antal–Lusztig Collection. At the exhibition titled The Eight and the Activists, opening in Stuttgart, the public will be able to see 22 works by influential Hungarian fine artists, such as Béla Czóbel and Lajos Kassák. He added that, nationwide, the exhibition attracting the greatest public attention will be the partly memory-politics-focused exhibition titled Attila, opening at the Hungarian National Museum. The Déri Museum will also loan numerous artifacts from its archaeological collection to this large-scale exhibition.
Programs Related to Hungarian Culture Day:
January 17 (Saturday)
“Let the pipe burn quietly for me, with blue smoke…” – The pipes of Ferenc Kölcsey at the Déri Museum on the occasion of the Day of Hungarian Culture
Venue: Déri Museum, Dome (1 Déri Square)
The mini-exhibition can be visited from January 17 to 25.
January 18 (Sunday)
17:00
“Tribute to the Guardians of Hungarian Culture” – 10-year anniversary concert by Heit Lóri and His Band
Venue: Kölcsey Center (1–3 Hunyadi János Street)
January 19 (Monday)
BooKalauz: Book exhibition and puzzles on the occasion of the Day of Hungarian Culture
(January 19–23)
Venue: Méliusz Józsai Library (Debrecen-Józsa, 9 Szentgyörgyfalvi Road)
“The Many-Faced Jókai” exhibition (until January 31)
Venue: Méliusz Petőfi Memorial Library (13 Víztorony Street)
Further related programs at the Petőfi Memorial Library:
January 20 (Tuesday) 16:30
Jókai on the silver screen – screening of the film The Two Willow Trees of Nagyenyed.
(Film length: 80 minutes)
January 21 (Wednesday) 16:30
Jókai on the silver screen – screening of the film The Yellow Rose.
(Film length: 77 minutes)
January 22 (Thursday)
Jókai through children’s eyes – interactive session for lower primary school classes, making a quill pen from paper.
Registration required in advance.
Phone: 52/413-471, Email: petofi@meliusz.hu
January 20 (Tuesday)
10:00
“The Homeland Above All” – Homeland and national consciousness in the poems of Hungarian poets.
A musical literary program by Erdélyi Márta, recipient of the Sesztina Jenő Prize for recitation.
Contributors: Margit Gyarmatiné Kiss, retired librarian-teacher, and Blanka Tornyi, singer of the Debrecen Kodály Choir
Venue: Borsos Villa Community House (1 Borsos József Square)
14:00
Puzzling Heritage: Quiz for retirees on the occasion of Hungarian Culture Day
Venue: Méliusz Józsai Library (Debrecen-Józsa, 9 Szentgyörgyfalvi Road)
January 21 (Wednesday)
13:30
With a Pure Heart – Hungarian Culture Day in the spirit of Attila József
Contributor: poet and performer István B. Orosz
Venue: Nagymacs Community House (Debrecen-Nagymacs, 39 Kastélykert Street)
13:30
THE SPIRIT OF FAZEKAS – Book presentation with the participation of students from Fazekas Mihály Grammar School.
The interactive book presentation will be held by the author, Attila Győző Fazekas, Hungarian literature teacher at Fazekas Mihály Grammar School.
Venue: Karakter 1517 Bookshop and Café
14:00
Puzzling Heritage: Quiz for retirees on the occasion of Hungarian Culture Day
Venue: Méliusz Józsai Library (Debrecen-Józsa, 9 Szentgyörgyfalvi Road)
15:00
Downtown walk presenting memorial sites of Mihály Fazekas, born 260 years ago.
Guide: Nóra Erdei
The walk is free of charge but requires registration: exploredebrecen@gmail.com
Starting point: County Hall, 54 Piac Street
16:00
Day of Hungarian Culture family afternoon
Quiz games, Hungarian folk tales, handicrafts.
Venue: Méliusz Csapókert Library (3 Süveg Street)
17:00
“REALITY” – Exhibition of the Jenő Maticska Creative and Fine Arts Circle
Greeting by: Csaba Kiss, head of the Jenő Maticska Creative and Fine Arts Circle
Exhibition opened by: poet Kálmán Kerékgyártó
Venue: Borsos Villa Community House (1 Borsos József Square)
January 22 (Thursday)
Admission is free at all exhibition venues.
10:00
Wreath-laying ceremony at the relief of Ferenc Kölcsey at the Debrecen Reformed Theological University
(Debrecen Reformed College, 16 Kálvin Square)
Speech by: Dr. Ferenc Vitéz, Vice-Rector for Education of DRHE
10:30
Wreath-laying at the statue of Ferenc Kölcsey (Péterfia Street)
Speech by: Deputy Mayor István Puskás
10:00
Opening of the fairy-tale and puppet exhibition by Rebeka Kolozsvári–Dankó
Contributor: storyteller Anikó Rácz
Connecting generations – a joyful circle game shared by the Debrecen Seniors’ Club and children from the Görgey Street Kindergarten
Venue: Újkert Community House (17 Jerikó Street)
10:30
Born Hungarian – The Legacy of the Hymn – An unconventional literature class with a quiz for secondary school students
Venue: Méliusz Újkert Library (17–19 Jerikó Street)
14:00
Hungarian inventors – popular science lecture
Venue: Agóra Science Experience Center (Debrecen, 1 Egyetem Square, entrance from Móricz Zsigmond Road)
15:00
Next-Day Fresco – jubilee reading in honor of Géza Aczél
Venue: Benedek Elek Branch Library (Debrecen, 68 Piac Street)
17:00
Award ceremony of the Debrecen Culture Foundation
Venue: Déri Museum, Munkácsy Hall (1 Déri Square)
17:00
Curator assistant Edward Kovács’s guided tour of the exhibition Bodies and Memories
MODEM (1–3 Hunyadi Street)
17:00
In the Footsteps of Our Values – Csapókert cultural walk
Venue: Csapókert Community House (3 Süveg Street)
17:30–18:30; 18:30–19:30
Opening of the light installation exhibition “Rhythmic Layers”, and performance by Ferenc Uzonyi and Tibor Nagy
Venue: Méliusz Central Library, Music Collection (19 Bem Square)
19:00
Festive performance of Pongrác Kacsóh’s musical play János vitéz
Venue: Csokonai Theatre (10 Kossuth Street)
Additional Programs:
Commemoration of Hungarian Culture Day
Participants: Kismacs Retirees’ Club and invited retirees’ groups
Venue: DEMKI Kismacs Community House (Debrecen-Kismacs, 16 Napraforgó Street)
The Three Faces of Hungarian Culture
Library program for lower primary school classes.
Venue: Méliusz Central Library, Children’s Library (19 Bem Square)
Poetry and illustration exhibition, book presentation, Sziget-kék radio, and creative corner
(until January 25)
From 10:00 – interactive, creative activities for kindergarten groups
Venue: Sziget-kék Playground (19 Nagyerdei Boulevard)
Mini-exhibition on the occasion of the 145th birthday of sculptor Ferenc Medgyessy
Venue: Méliusz Tócóskert Library (11 István Road)
January 23 (Friday)
14:00
The Growing Treasures of Our Art – Exhibition of the Cívis Folk Art Heritage Association on the occasion of Hungarian Culture Day
Greeting by: János D. Halász, Managing Director of DEMKI
Exhibition opened by: Dr. Márta Magyari, ethnographer and museologist
Performers: dancers of the Ferenc Medgyessy Grammar School, Secondary School of Arts and Technical School
The exhibition can be visited until February 11, 2026, during the opening hours of the community house.
Venue: Homokkert Community House (68 Szabó Kálmán Street)
17:00
“Sounds in the Silence…” – musical-dance literary performance and exhibition opening
Venue: Youth House – Gallery 21’ (21 Simonffy Street)
January 24 (Saturday)
13:00
Carnival of Crafts
Contributor: Bihari Folk Art Association
Venue: House of Crafts (6 Nagy-Gál István Street)
January 26 (Monday)
17:00
Mihály Endes memorial exhibition
Venue: Exhibition hall of Józsa Community House (Debrecen-Józsa, 9 Szentgyörgyfalvi Street)
January 27 (Tuesday)
17:00
Our National Prayer in the World – festive program on the occasion of Hungarian Culture Day
Contributors: Tojama Association and the Debrecen Drama Studio
(Recommended from age 14)
Venue: Méliusz Újkert Library (17–19 Jerikó Street)
17:00
“Happy Vaults”
The value and protection of brick-vaulted rooms in Cívis houses.
Illustrated lecture by local history researcher Attila Harangi, based on examples of the Várady Szabó, Boross Tóby, and Nánássy houses. Reminiscence by Lajos Lakner, Deputy Scientific Director of the Déri Museum, titled “When Imre Bán Wept”. Program of the Déri Museum, the Friends of the Déri Museum, and the Debrecen Association for City Protection and Beautification on the occasion of the Day of Hungarian Culture.
Venue: Déri Museum, Ceremonial Hall (1 Déri Square)
January 29 (Thursday)
10:00
MIHÁLY FAZEKAS, THE BOTANIST – interactive session led by Zoltán Váradi, Director of Zoo Debrecen
Venue: Karakter 1517 Bookshop and Café (behind the Great Church)
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
