The annual “Wine Village” festival held every August next to Ötvenhatosok tere on the southwest edge of Budapest’s Városliget (City Park) has apparently been canceled this year, making it not so annual. The problem, according to wine blog albertgazda.blog.hu, was that the city was not planning on giving the festival organizers permits for free, and Wine Village organizer Kata Gede said that if they have to pay for the permits, they can’t afford to hold the event.
Speaking on behalf of the city, one Attila Ughy said that this year the organizers asked for permits for a larger area and for a longer duration than before. He also added that the city still gives out permits to cultural events, but that the Wine Village, which has operated fee-free for five years, was becoming increasingly commercial and therefore they should be able to pay for their permits. Regardless of whose side you take, Budapest wine lovers will just have to wait for the annual festival in the Castle District, usually held just a week or two later, in early September.
