Hungary – A Psychedelic Host

Samsara, OZORA and SUN Festivals (editors note: Yes, they have renamed from Solar United Natives to SUN Festival again) in Hungary have one thing in common: the people. To go to these festivals is to become part of a nomadic community spread throughout the world.

In Thailand, sitting on a dusty roadside waiting for a long-distance bus; at a café in Camden Town London; beneath the shade of a tree in Siofok, Hungary; at a street market in Lisbon… Whenever I recognise people from these festivals (usually by their faded wristbands) there is warmth, a connection, and a desire to stop and talk.

Many of these chance acquaintances have become friends and returning to these festivals in the wild Hungarian countryside each summer is a kind of homecoming. When I arrived at SUN festival in 2014, at night and in the middle of a thunderstorm, my friend from the roadside in Thailand was there in his magical camper van. He had saved a space under the trees for my tent and welcomed me into his home to dry off.

The good will that permeates the dance floor, walking around bare foot, partying under the sun and stars, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, being able to breathe and take your time (even the cold, refreshing showers)… These are experiences I look forward to each year.

I always return to the city tired, yet refreshed. No other festival experience can compete with this feeling.

The main Festivals

OZORA is intense and visually spectacular, with tens of thousands of people and a vast, throbbing main stage. But this year, sadly, I only have time for one festival and have chosen to return to Samsara. At Samsara there is an intimate feeling and a heightened sense of community. It’s big enough to feel like a festival, but small enough that you see the same people every day. I love the chill main stage; the hammocks strung up between the trees and the world music Tilos stage in the woods. It’s a small festival with a very strong lineup. I’ve watched Samsara grow from the first to the second edition and want to be be part of the next chapter in its journey. It is exciting to see how the festival will evolve!
alpha