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Gergely Papp, head organizer of MCC Feszt, shares an insider’s look at what makes this year’s festival bigger, bolder, and more unforgettable than ever. From headline acts to hidden gems, he reveals what attendees can look forward to—and what he personally loves most about Hungary’s most dynamic summer celebration.

This is the fifth time you're serving as the main organizer of MCC Feszt. What are your expectations for this year's event, and what new elements are you planning to introduce compared to previous years?

On one hand, I approach every event with these three goals in mind: Attract as many people as possible, ensure everyone stays safe and healthy, make sure visitors leave with something that enriches them—whether it's an intellectual "aha!" moment, a cultural experience, an emotional charge, a new human connection—anything meaningful.

On the other hand, since this is the "mini-jubilee" fifth edition of MCC Feszt, our organizing team is working intensively to better balance the fluctuations in crowd size between the daytime and evening programs. We want the expected 14,000–16,000 daily attendees to be more evenly distributed throughout the day and for everyone to sample as many programs as possible. As for the professional and musical programs, we’re also featuring many new names and groups who haven't yet performed at MCC Feszt.

One of the main attractions of the festival is the musical lineup. Which domestic performers can the audience look forward to this year?

The ones we’re really excited about include: BSW, Manuel, 4s Street, Robi Szikora and R-GO, Parno Graszt, Blahalouisiana, T. Danny, ValMar, Ákos, and Irie Maffia. A novelty this year will be a more classical line of performances featuring pianist Krisztina Fejes and the Dresch Quartet.

Have you observed any changes in the musical preferences of the festival audience over the past years? How are you responding to these trends when curating the program?

Trends don’t typically change from one year to the next, but looking at the past 5–6 years, Gen Z YouTube musicians and talent show stars have gained huge popularity and visibility—this is very evident. Last year, I also noticed an increasingly significant very young crowd (ages 16–20) who mainly show up for the late-night Arena parties after midnight, skipping the early evening concerts. We’re planning to investigate this "phenomenon" further this year.

Last year, over 100 partner organizations participated in the Edu Promenade. What can we expect this year, and what new features will visitors find?

The MCC Feszt Edu Promenade—worthy of Central Europe's largest educational institution—will again host around 100 exhibitors along Esztergom’s leafy, vibrant Little Danube Promenade. Now in its fifth year, the Promenade is the heartbeat of MCC Feszt. In addition to the four stages offering professional programs, visitors can engage with MCC's organizational units and partners. Through interactive games and activities, attendees can learn more about MCC’s educational offerings—from FIT programs targeting elementary school children to the Public Life Women’s Leadership Program and the Debate Academy for young adults. Besides MCC’s own programs, guests can meet representatives from think tanks, join informal discussions, and even participate in book signings thanks to the collaboration with Libri. The EDU Promenade offers something for all age groups—combining a market-festival vibe with opportunities for intellectual enrichment, ensuring an exciting experience for everyone.

MCC Feszt stands out not only for its cultural and professional programming but also for its culinary offerings. What food and shopping options await festival-goers?

My favorite is the food stall that makes fish & chips from catfish, but you’ll also find lángos, Neapolitan pizza, Asian soups, burgers, hot dogs, pasta, gyros, and more—with excellent drink options too!

Who is MCC Feszt primarily for? What age groups or interests would you recommend it to?

MCC Feszt is for those who not only want to enjoy live performances by Hungary’s most popular bands but are also curious about how the world works and interested in the latest public, social, and cultural topics.

How does MCC Feszt fit into MCC’s year-round activities, and what are the long-term goals of the event?

MCC not only focuses on education but also plays a role in knowledge-sharing and community-building. The goal of MCC Feszt is to make public discourse and intellectual dialogue—rooted in national values—accessible to young people in a new format. As such, the event serves a real cultural and educational mission.