The 21st Sziget Festival, one of Europe’s top music festivals takes place on Óbuda Island - re-named this year ‘Island of Freedom’ for the week, in Budapest’s 3rd District from 5-12 August 2013.

A host of international stars will be performing this year, including Blur, David Guetta,  Dizzee Rascal, Nick Cave and Franz Ferdinand, plus there will be cultural programmes, DJ’s and a fabulous party atmosphere with installations, sculptures and fantastic light shows to keep festival goers entertained.

The festival has pulled out all the stops this year and has created its own republic for the week called the Island of Freedom - a territory of 76 hectares, with its own flag, money and rules, and a population during the festival week of around 380,000 festival goers. The first festival-settlers (aka ‘Szitizens’) arrived on the island in 1993 to create “a non-stop week of fun together” which was the very first Sziget Festival.

New attractions this year include the Sziget Eye - a 65-meter ferris wheel in Budapest’ Erzsébet Square that stands in the heart of the city for 6 weeks from 7th June, before moving to the Sziget Festival in August; and the Sziget Beach with the chance to swim in the Danube for the first time during the festival and enjoy beach front bars and ‘full moon’ parties during the week.

Sziget will also host colourful street theatre productions from all over the world from New Zealand and Australia through to India and China, as well as several European productions; a new Ruin Pubs quarter, Irish pub stage playing live Irish music and the Cirque du Sziget, a brand new venue that will host circus shows.

Visitors can either choose to camp at the festival by purchasing a camping ticket or they can stay in a hostel or hotel in Budapest and purchase a daily or five-day ticket. Ticket prices start from €49 for a daily ticket, €199 for a non-camping ticket for the five days to €229 for the five day camping ticket. For further information and to purchase tickets visit www.szigetfestival.com.

For more information on Hungary please visit www.gotohungary.co.uk

Press Enquiries:

Karin Jones, PR consultant for the Hungarian National Tourist Office (Tues & Thurs)

Tel: 07908 488 492 Email: media@gotohungary.co.uk