Helikon Festival in Keszthely

The Helikon Festival is one of the most prestigious and long-standing student arts festivals in Transdanubia. Held every two years, it brings together hundreds of talented secondary school students who present their skills across more than twenty artistic categories. From music and literature to theatre and dance, participants compete before a professional jury, turning the city into a vibrant stage of creativity and youthful energy. During the festival, Keszthely fills with life, inspiration, and a truly unique cultural atmosphere.

The roots of the Helikon Festival date back over 200 years. It was founded by György Festetics in 1817, when students from the local grammar school, the Georgikon agricultural college, and the music school gathered in Keszthely alongside renowned writers and poets of the region. Although the tradition was interrupted after Festetics’s death, it was revived in 1958 as a school-based competition. Following the political changes of 1989, the city of Keszthely once again became the proud host of this remarkable cultural event. Find out more