Carnival Merry-making

'Itt a farsang, áll a bál, keringőzik a kanál...” (The carnival is here, the dancing has begun, the spoon is waltzing...) All Hungarians can continue the song, while the aim of Carnival Merry-making is to provide entertaining background for children on the history, habits and significance in folk culture of carnival season in Hungary. It's better to learn from the best: the program director and host is Zoltán 'Batyu' Farkas, a legendary figure of the Hungarian folk dance scene, whose thoughts on this occasion will be expressed by singers, storytellers and child folk dancers.

The celebration: a sacred time, where we break away from our everyday lives and, with our bodies and souls dressed for celebration, await the magical events of olden times to once again be brought to life. Farsang stands out from the other celebrations in Hungary: there is no significant religious holiday in this period in the liturgical calendar. Yet this period between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday has always held significant meaning in folk traditions. Even the Romans knew that once a year the world should be stood on its head: at the carnival party that is now the highlight of the Hungarian farsang, they celebrated the moment where the lord and the servant exchanged places. Given that farsang is related to eating and drinking, dancing and entertainment, it is no surprise that in the New Age its traditions were labelled immoral. In Zoltán 'Batyu' Farkas's production, the versatile Krisztina Benedek will regale the children in the audience with folk songs and tales. The children will also be able to enjoy entertainment from their peers as the Püspökhatvan Children's Dance Ensemble takes the stage with choreography from Szabolcs Szokolik, while Bálint Jobbágy and his band are sure to get everyone's toes tapping.