This year’s PONT Festival will spotlight Serbia’s rich cultural heritage, offering a full day of music, dance, and hands-on workshops in Budapest’s Múzeumkert (Museum Garden) on October 11.
Organized by Hangvető (hub for world music in Central Eastern Europe) as part of the Liszt Fest International Cultural Festival, the program invites visitors to explore Balkan rhythms and melodies through interactive experiences. Guests can learn traditional Serbian circle dances like the kolo, experiment with body music, and contribute to a collaborative Zmijanje embroidery, a traditional craft.
From afternoon into the evening, the Múzeumkert will host a lineup of live concerts. Performers include Branka Básits with the Džumbus Trio, known for their contemporary interpretations of South Slavic folk traditions. László Halász and his band will lead a kolo dance house, and the night will conclude with a high-energy performance by Bojan Krstić and his brass orchestra.
Organizers highlight that South Slavic communities remain active in Hungary, with younger artists like Branka Básits bringing new life to these cultural traditions. Following her early afternoon concert, László Halász and his group will offer an immersive dance experience centered on the communal spirit of the kolo.
The festival will also feature a performance by Alice in Wonderband, who blend Balkan folk songs with body percussion, introducing audiences to the unique world of body music. Visitors can also take part in craft workshops, including cyanotype printing and PrimAnima’s animation workshop, all inspired by Serbian mythology and folk motifs.
Notably, the festival will highlight two Serbian traditions recognized by UNESCO: the kolo, a widespread and beloved circle dance across the Balkans (also popular in Hungary), and the epic singing tradition accompanied by the gusle, a one-stringed, lute-like instrument carved from maple.
A total of four music programs will capture the atmosphere of the region—from iconic Balkan brass reminiscent of Black Cat, White Cat, to folk songs of magical beauty,”
the organizers said in a statement.
More information is available at www.pontfesztival.hu.
Fact
The kolo is a South Slavic circle dance, found under this name in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. It is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage for Serbia.
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Via MTI; Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
The post Serbia’s Sounds and Stories Come to Life at Budapest’s PONT Festival appeared first on Hungary Today.
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