Keszthely is gearing up for a packed spring 2026, with festivals, concerts, guided nature trips, exhibitions, theater, family fun, and lakeside strolls across multiple venues. From agrotourism deep dives and winery tours to children’s puppet theater and a blockbuster Omega musical, the calendar blends heritage, hands-on experiences, and big-stage spectacle.
KATT Festival: Agrotourism meets innovation
Running April 24–25 at the MATE Georgikon Campus, the KATT Festival (Keszthely Agroturisztikai Találkozó) returns for its fourth edition, hosted by the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Georgikon Campus and the MATE VFGI Agrotourism Department, with partners including the West Balaton LEADER Association (Nyugat-Balaton Leader Egyesület), Herman Ottó Institute Nonprofit Ltd. (Herman Ottó Intézet Nonprofit Kft.), the National Chamber of Agriculture, Zala County Directorate, and the ZalaZONE Automotive Proving Ground.
A day zero on April 23 opens the Georgikon Travel Challenge at 10:00, followed by the competition at 10:30.
Day one, April 24: 10:00–13:00 KATT FutureFarm Agri‑digitization Forum at Sirius Hotel; 14:00 KATT Agrotourism Summit and Exhibition at the Georgikon Agricultural History Exhibition Site; 14:00 KATT Football Cup at the campus pitch. Side programs include Student Days and Girls’ Day.
Day two, April 25, is a region-wide Open Doors Day from 10:00–16:00: Talabér Watermill and Festetics Herb Garden in Gyenesdiás (exhibition, grain milling demo, tea tasting), Festetics Tavern Wine Museum (Festetics Taverna Bormúzeum) in Vonyarcvashegy (heritage showcase and tastings), Gáspárlat Pálinka House in Balatongyörök (distilling demo, tasting), Darnay Cellar and Barn Bistro in Gyenesdiás (traditional log cellar, mini local product fair, cold-plate lunch), Creative House in Alsópáhok (traditional pastry making and tastings), Sártekerő Pottery Workshop in Alsópáhok (throwing demos), Billegéri Horse Ranch in Felsőpáhok (open day), Kakasbonbon Chocolate Manufactory in Felsőpáhok (behind the scenes and tastings).
Throughout April 25: “MATE Teaching Farm Open” agrotourism series; 10:00–18:00 spring vineyard walk and cellar visit at Georgikon Winery with a guided look at seasonal work and one complimentary glass of wine or juice; 10:00–18:00 interactive family programs at the Riding Center (skills course, horseshoe hunt and painting, meeting csikós horsemen); 10:00–18:00 horse-drawn carriage “taxi” loops every 30–40 minutes between the event and the Riding Center; 10:00–18:00 guided pony rides for kids in 10–15 minute sessions between the Fenyves Allée and the Riding Center. At 11:00–12:00, a Botanical Garden guided tour on plant knowledge, gene conservation, and sustainability. Wine tastings at Georgikon Winery: 13:00 and 15:00, five wines with a cheese plate, 6,000 HUF (about 16.50 USD) per person, with bottle purchases and juices available. The day closes with KATT AfterGreen at 20:00 in the Botanical Garden.
On and around Lake Balaton
Daily Keszthely sightseeing cruises and an outdoor city adventure game run April 20–26, repeat April 27–May 3 and May 4–10, plus May 11–17 and May 18–24. Expect clues, local landmarks, and a fun, self-guided pace.
April 24–26 and again May 1–3, the Kis-Balaton Visitor Center leads expert-guided trips to Diás Island’s István Fekete (Fekete István) Memorial and the Matula Hut. Access options: your own vehicle, golf cart, or by water in a canoe.
May 1–2 marks the Balaton Season Opener 2026 (Balatoni Évadnyitó 2026), the season kickoff on Keszthely’s lakefront, with family and kids’ programs, concerts, a lively street party, craft stalls, and food vendors. Detailed schedule coming soon.
Stages, spotlights, and star turns
April 25 at 19:00: Caramel.Zongora transforms the Balaton Theatre into an intimate, piano-led evening where hits arrive in fresh arrangements. Tickets 8,900 HUF (about 24.50 USD).
May 6 at 19:00: Nathan Ellis’s Too Sharp (Túl éles) by Loupe Theatre Company is sold out, part of the Spring Pass series. A 120‑minute, no‑intermission drama centering on five women navigating a strained healthcare system. Cast includes Dóra Sztarenki, Eszter Földes, Dorka Gryllus, Katalin Takács, Alíz Szatmári, Dániel Brezovszky. Directed and translated by János Antal Horváth; dramaturgy by Réka Ágnes Tóth.
May 9 at 19:00: Gyöngyhajú lány – OMEGA musical lands with ExperiDance’s Re-Production company, starring Léna Kóbor. Tickets 12,900 and 14,900 HUF (about 35.50 and 41.00 USD). Featuring 22 dancers, five musical-theater leads, and 21 legendary Omega hits like Trombitás Frédi, Régi csibészek, Ezüst eső, Petróleumlámpa, Ha én szél lehetnék, and Gyöngyhajú lány. Creative team includes writer-director Zsolt Pozsgai, music director Zsolt Gömöry, and a 540+ square foot LED backdrop. A high-energy tribute and a nod to Omega’s sacred legacy guardianship since 2023.
May 14 at 19:00: The Secret – An Evening with Danny Blue, Hungary’s most famous mentalist, promises mind-bending moments and intimate sleight of thought. Tickets 8,990; 10,990; 12,990; 14,990 HUF (about 24.80; 30.30; 35.80; 41.30 USD).
May 21 at 18:00: “How Would I…” (Hogyan Tündék…) a nostalgic musical time-travel with the ZsigmondLala Musical Studio amateur group, revisiting the biggest hits of the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. Tickets 4,500 HUF (about 12.40 USD).
Exhibitions, talks, and workshops
April 28 at 17:00 opens “Hárman” – a joint exhibition by painters Edit Ágh, Eszter Balogh, and András Gécseg in the Balaton Theatre’s Simándy Hall, introduced by writer-poet-translator Dr. Géza Cséby. Free entry through May 22.
May 5 at 18:00, the free “Tuesday With Me” (Kedd‑Velem) conversation series welcomes actor Gergő “Sajt” Farkas, hosted by Zoltán Csányi, in the Simándy Hall.
May 8 at 17:00, the Straw-Weaving Exhibition opens in the Kacsóh Hall, part of the “ASzakkör” program. It spotlights traditional craft mastery and community creativity from Keszthely’s Straw-Weaving Circle. Speakers include Renáta Dervalics from the National Institute of Culture and Bálint Osvald, head of the Goldmark Károly Cultural Center; with a musical contribution by Judit Sheila Varjassi. Free, on view until June 4.
May 11 at 18:00, the World Traveler Club presents Strange Stories from Around the World – a photo journey from Oceania through Asia and Africa to South America, with speaker Roland Markó sharing personal encounters and cultural insights. Free, Simándy Hall.
May 13 at 10:00, Batyu Színház presents Witch’s Kitchen (Boszorkánykonyha), a 40–45 minute object-puppet show where kitchen tools become heroes, featuring classics like Zsigmond Móricz’s Iciri-piciri, the folk tales The Bear and the Cat (A medve és a macska) and Stone Soup (Kőleves), and Elek Benedek’s The Salt (A só). Tickets 3,000 HUF (about 8.30 USD).
May 13 at 17:00, the Psyche Workshop hosts psychologist and animal-assisted therapist Nóra Angyal‑Szilvás on companion animals’ mental health benefits from infancy to old age, in the Básti Room. Free.
