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The event, which attracted 118,000 visitors last year, is so popular that the number of tickets available in advance has become limited.
The details of the Campus Festival, which kicks off on the 24th of July, were presented at a briefing on Tuesday evening at Forest Offices Debrecen. The event also covered the refundable glass (“repohár”) system, children’s programmes, performers and the Campus Book.
At the event, managing director of the Debrecen Campus Nonprofit Kft.Péter Miklósvölgyi emphasised his hopes for good weather during the Campus Festival. He added that their ticket sales statistics are even better than last year’s record year and not only the location is special, but also the programmes and the prices for food and drinks will be favourable.
Chancellor of the University of Debrecen Zoltán Bács said that the festival’s name also includes the word campus, which refers to the university.He recalled that there was an idea in 2005 for the city to have its own festival. In 2007, it was held at Lake Vekeri under the auspices of EFOTT, but the following year the Campus Festival was held at the lake, and in 2009 it moved into the city.
Mayor László Papp emphasised the importance for a city to be attractive for travellers and locals alike. The mayor underlined the city’s already gained recognition on a global scale due to its distinctive economic development, and the Campus Festival is one of the pillars of Debrecen. “The festival is the imprint of fifteen years of pop music life in Hungary, and the publication presents this beautifully. This festival already has a story, a history. It is very important for Debrecen to have internationally renowned events,” he said adding that the difficulties of recent years had led to the demise of several festivals, but the Campus was on a firm footing.
László Páll said that to increase security, this year the entrance will be separated, the main entrance will be widened, the ticket office row will be located in Pope John Paul II Square, and the stages will also be improved technically. The managing director of the Debrecen Campus Nonprofit Kft. added that world-class scenery would also await the party-goers. He urged festival-goers to take shelter under the arcades and on the stadium’s arrival level, where there would also be water blocks if the weather is not comfortable.
Managing Director of Metal-Sheet, one of the main sponsors of the festival Emil Harangi underlined that he had been in contact with the organisers through a friend of his and that the cooperation had been going on for three years. He believes that it is important that those who are successful also give.
Head of Communications at BMW Group Plant Debrecen Réka Jenei pointed out the importance for the company to become part of the city, and in recent years they have found a home here in Debrecen. This year, for the third time, they will join the festival, offering new and exciting activities for party-goers, representing the educational line.
Head of the North-Eastern Hungary Region of OTP Bank József Barkó said that they had been a major financial supporter of the festival for six years.
“During the four days of the festival, 21 programme venues will be open to a total of 295 musical performers, 65 of which will be from Debrecen,” András Süli said. The programme director of the Campus Festival added that in addition to the local performers, 16 international acts from 13 different countries would also be attending the festival.
A book on the festival
For the fifteenth edition of Campus Festival in 2023, the crew invited a journalist and a photojournalist to show how the crazy idea of a few passionate people turned into one of Hungary’s biggest music festivals. Adrienn Csepelyi and Lili Chripkó have produced a 354-page book about the Campus Festival, which will be available for anyone in the next few days. The book features interviews with the organisers and staff, and the richly illustrated pages show in detail how the Festival has developed year by year, becoming more and more popular with festival-goers.
The event, which attracted 118,000 visitors last year, is so popular that the number of season tickets available in advance has become limited, but it is also worth getting your day tickets early, since a year ago the moment came when the full sign had to be displayed at the entrance of the festival.
In addition to returning local festival favourites, Azahriah, Majka, Tankcsapda, Rúzsa Magdolna, ByeAlex and Slepp, Ivan and the Parazol, Beton.Hofi, the city will also be hosting exciting emerging talents from the domestic popular music scene. Along with the headliners, an important characteristic of Campus is that it features a nearly full spectrum of the Hungarian music scene, from avant-garde metal to doomfolk, roots reggae, shoegaze, electronic music project mixing ambient and cinematic elements, or a cult Hungarian hardcore band recently re-formed after a long hiatus.
The number of foreign artists has increased this year. Rita Ora, Mando Diao, Martin Solveig, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Queen Omega and Rival Consoles are all coming.
The musicians are also celebrating
After last year’s 15th Campus birthday, this year’s celebrations are all about the jubilee bands. Tankcsapda and Animal Cannibals have been entertaining audiences for 35, the Road for 20 and the Brains for 30 years. Anna and the Barbies have been on the music scene for 20 years, the Intim Torna Illegál, Lazarvs and Balázs Szabó’s Band for 15 years. Margaret Island and Lóci Játszik are both celebrating their 10th anniversary, adding even more colour to the festival programme.
However, Campus is not just about music. The festival area is a full day of activity, with family activities and other fun adventures, rehearsals, talks and performances. There will be a plane simulator, a spider robot, a thermal camera, a skeleton and a book selfie, among other things. The full programme of the festival can be found here.
In addition to the refundable glass (“repohár”) system, which has been in place for years, the collection and sorting of waste is also an important element of sustainability.
The festival also encourages visitors to arrive by public transport or by bicycle if possible, which is supported by night buses and bicycle storage.
Every year the Campus Festival supports a social cause. This year the collection is for Benjamin Micskó. 4-year-old Beni suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and one of the most expensive drugs in the world can help him only.
Only cashless forms of payment will continue to be accepted at the festival.
Admission is free for those born after the 30th of June 2014. Young people under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
The festival opens on Wednesday the 24th of July at 2:00 p.m. and closes on Sunday the 28th of July at 11:00 am.
The day ticket for the given day is valid until 11 a.m. the next day, if you arrive after midnight, you can still buy a ticket for the previous day, tickets valid for the given day are sold from 6:00 a.m.
Source:debrecen.hu
