Debrecen4U August 29, 2025

The organizers of yoUDay are preparing a show that will be more spectacular than ever before

In the DTV’s CampusTalk program, Veronika Végh, the stage show coordinator, and Gergő Török, organizer, shared behind-the-scenes information about yoUDay.

The countdown has begun, on September 17, the Nagyerdei stadium will once again be populated with university citizens. Months before the first inviting signs appear, the joint work and the organizers’ brainstorming for this day begin and as September approaches, the organizers are increasingly asked: what will yoUDay be like this year?

The University of Debrecen’s opening stadium show has now become not only a tradition, but a true university identity-shaping event. Everyone is already talking about it in freshman camps, and first-year students are also excitedly awaiting their first yoUDay experience.

The event is based on a central theme every year. This year’s concept is organized around “roots” – although many people misunderstood the idea at first. ”We laughed a lot about it. When I suggested that the theme be “roots”, many people interpreted it differently at first, but then, when we explained its meaning, everyone understood how deep and important a message it carried, “ Veronika Végh recalled the birth of this year’s concept. Of course, “roots” do not only mean personal identity: Debrecenism, traditions, university pride, and Hungarian culture are in the spotlight this year.

“Our goal was for foreign students to see what it means to be a Debrecen resident, to get to know the university’s spirit and to gain insight into our culture,” said Gergő Török. In this spirit, the Debrecen Folk Ensemble will also be taking part in the program for the first time this year.

The structure of the show was put together based on the experiences of previous years, but this year they tried to perfect it. The organizers would like to point out how versatile the university’s artistic life is and how much talent is hidden among the students.

Program highlights

• Opening hour features:
  • Performances by talented domestic and international students, who have already proven their talent at Food Day.
  • Contributions from the Institute of Popular Music and the Odeon Theater.
  • A spotlight on the diversity and creativity within the university’s artistic community.
• Main program includes:
  • A dynamic, fast-paced segment with fireworks, visual effects, and star performers such as Bagossy Brothers Company, ByeAlex and Slepp, Gergely Dánielfy, Jennifer Szirota
• Closing events:
  • A traditional retro party.
  • The yoUDay afterparty, a staple of the celebration.

This year, the event is being held for the ninth time. According to the organizers, the event has now become an integral part of the lives of university students.

“Year after year, as yoUDay ‘gets older’, we are able to better convey the feeling of what it means to belong to the University of Debrecen. This event is also special and unique, as students, parents, and even university employees can party together here. If it’s September, then yoUDay, it’s already on the calendar and in the hearts of many,” said Gergő Török.

The official website of the event is now active, where all necessary information about the 2025 event is available. This year, the website has also been expanded with a new feature: artificial intelligence helps answer visitors’ questions.

“We receive a lot of questions, which is not easy to handle with a small staff. That’s why we decided to train the AI to help visitors,” shared Gergő Török. More than a thousand people work on the implementation of yoUDay, but the dream of the event is the work of only a few people.

This year, the gates will open at 3.00 p.m., and the yoUDay Matinee will start immediately, which promises to be particularly exciting: this is when the “Freshman of the Year” game will be announced. The winner of the title – one boy and one girl – will win a Unipass Gold card, which provides unlimited entry to all university events for a whole year – until the next yoUDay.

Source and photo credit:dehir.hu