Europe Day Festival in Budapest

This Sunday, the 22nd anniversary of Hungary’s accession to the European Union was celebrated at Szabadság Square, in downtown Budapest, where free concerts, the now-traditional Europe Day race, quizzes, and a variety of programs attracted thousands of visitors throughout the day. The Europe Day events were organized by the European Commission Representation in Hungary and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Hungary.

More than 3,300 people completed the 21.1-kilometer “EU Half Marathon”: 1,603 individual runners and 625 relay teams of two or three participants took part in this year’s accessible race.

At the opening of the event, Eszter Lakos, Member of the European Parliament (Tisza, European People’s Party), emphasized that “the finest moments in Hungarian history have always been those when Hungary stood on the side of freedom and the European community. We, Hungarians have never forgotten throughout history that we belong to Europe. We belong to Europe, not to Eurasia. Despite all manner of political rhetoric, the Hungarian people’s conviction on this matter has remained unshakeable. Hungary contributes to a strong, independent Europe, which is also one of the indispensable pillars of Hungary’s prosperity and security now, and will undoubtedly remain so in the coming decades and centuries. It is democracy alone, not the denial of democracy, that moves us Europeans forward.”

Gábor Zupkó, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Hungary, congratulated the half-marathon participants in his speech and paid tribute to István Perger, a colleague at the Representation who recently passed away unexpectedly and was one of the initiators of the EU Run.

This year’s Europe Day Run is the twelfth in the series; the first was held in 2014, on the 10th anniversary of Hungary’s accession. The accessible run has been held as a half-marathon since 2025 and attracts thousands of visitors to Szabadság Square every year.

Numerous domestic and international organizations, institutions and embassies presented themselves at the event, and visitors had the opportunity to interactively learn about current issues such as competitiveness, sustainability, security policy, democracy, and improving our quality of life.

The tangible results of EU membership – investments, job creation, and opportunities for entrepreneurship and education – were also prominently featured at the 2026 event. Meanwhile, Hungary itself adds value to this community through its knowledge, achievements, and culture. This was reflected in the large banners placed along the race route bearing this year’s Europe Day motto: “Our Common Path: Europe.”

On the István Perger Main Stage, a variety of programs followed one another all day long this year as well: performances by Ukrainian artists, Irish step dancing, performances by Hungarian bands, and an EU quiz. Once again this year, a separate children’s stage awaited the kids, where puppet shows, musical literary performances, and children’s concerts provided the entertainment.