Best of Budapest & Hungary

The Budapest Zoo celebrates its 157th anniversary with a Zoo Festival, family programs, concerts and film screenings from Wednesday to Sunday.

    The Budapest Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world: it opened its doors on August 9, 1866. It is also marked in the calendar as the Day of Hungarian Zoos, according to a statement sent to MTI on Tuesday.

    To mark the birthday, the zoo is preparing a special cake, which can be eaten by herbivorous animals, but is also suitable for human consumption. The cake will be cut at the main entrance on Wednesday, and the individual pieces will be given to the residents of the garden.

    Wednesday is also the start of the Zoo Festival, which runs until Sunday, with a range of activities, attractions, concerts and more.

    On Wednesday, there is a performance by the Gulliver Gang stilt band, craft activities, a visit by the Ferenc Hopp Asian Art Museum and a selection of zoo short films.

    On Thursday, Gabi Gubás and the Szeleburdi Mesezenekar will perform, the Kámfor Puppet Theater will present an interactive performance, Kornél Mogyoró and Péter Papesch will perform R.O.T.A.N and the Kontraszt band will perform.

    On Friday, the One-Organised Fairy Tale Orchestra, the Majorka Theater, Petra Katona and her orchestra and the Blue Canarro Group will perform.

    Saturday's program includes a puppet show by the Majorka Theater, a performance by the Golden Gate Puppet Theater, an acoustic duo Merry Go Round and a concert by Ocho Macho.

    On Sunday, the program includes a family interactive concert by Eszter Bíró, the Veronaki Orchestra and the Kiskalász Orchestra. In the evening, Stereo Swing and Gabi Szűcs will host a Gatsby party.

    In addition to the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asian Art, the festival will also feature the Kiscelli Museum, the Miksa Róth Memorial House, the Africa Stories for Africa Wildlife Association and the One Drop of Attention Foundation. The program includes quiz games, adventure activities, short film screenings, a costume parade, a small gardening workshop, a photo theater, paper dipping, nemez [‘felt] flower making, Vurstli ['Fun-fair'] attractions and carousel, face and glitter painting, and a guided tour of the zoo.