People are jolly, new wines are triumphant and geese are murmuring their last prayers. St. Martin’s Day festivities await you with goose feasts, music and some merry dancing and, because it’s Hungary, new wine tasting, of course, with the guidance of the wine makers themselves.
St. Martin’s Day comes with heaps of beliefs and traditions. According to folk wisdom, ‘he who doesn’t eat goose on St. Martin’s Day will go hungry and thirsty all the year’ (you don’t want that, trust us). So, there will be crispy goose dishes, chestnuts and baked apple to get your tum satisfied; then wash your yummy dinner down with a glass of super-tasty new wine. Legend holds that the more you eat and drink, the healthier you’ll be during the upcoming year. Don’t trust the weather forecast? Well, do it yourselves then! If the bone of your crispy goose drumstick is long and white, we’ll have a long and snowy winter, if it’s short and brown, it’s gonna be a muddy one (in that case, maybe it helps if you just give it to your doggy).
Enjoy impulsive live folk music, the likes of the Buda Folk Band, and get your dance skills polished with the Opanke Serbian Traditional Ensemble who’ll teach you how to dance your folk pants off. Get a glimpse of them and steal their moves!
There will be games galore both for the young and the young at heart. Try your hand at blacksmith craft, candle making and gingerbread art. For the more courageous ones, there will be a wine contest (nope, it’s not about drinking this time) where you can test your knowledge of wine-making.
Oh, on St. Martin’s Day it’s prohibited to work (aye, that goes to housework, too), so pack up your friends and family and see you in Szentendre! Egészségedre!
November 7
2 p.m. Songs to the Cellar – Collection of 15th-19th century wine celebration songs and dance by Musica Historica
3 p.m. Goose Dishes Recipe Contest Gala, Wine and Goose Quiz winners
4 p.m. Buda Folk Band – concert
4:30 p.m. Buda Folk Band – folk dancing
November 8
12:45 p.m. Concert by Borvirág – wine celebration songs
3 p.m. Goose Dishes Recipe Contest Gala, Wine and Goose Quiz winners
4 p.m. Vujicsics Ensemble – concert
4:30 p.m. Vujicsics Ensemble – folk dancing with the Opanke Serbian Tradition Ensemble