Two days, seven venues, lots of fun: that's what the relaunch festival of the revamped M3 metro was like. The capital, which celebrates its 150th birthday this year, brought the five years of transfers, replacement buses, escalators and waiting to a close with a special two-day event called Metro Festival, which took place on 15 and 16 June at the reconstructed metro stations. The Metro Festival welcomed all metro passengers with concerts, an exhibition, stand-up comedy and a playground.
After five years of renovation, the M3 metro will be back in operation on the entire line from 22 May, to everyone's delight. A special underground festival, organised by Budapest Brand and BKV Zrt. on behalf of the Budapest Municipality, marked the end of the reconstruction.
For two days, unusual activities awaited travellers at the renewed stations of Nagyvárad tér, Corvin-negyed, Kálvin tér, Deák Ferenc tér, Arany János utca, Nyugati pályaudvar and Lehel tér.
The NEO band, which also evoked the film Kontroll, attracted huge crowds, but the audience was also enchanted by Jazzbois, the Soharóza Improv Choir, Galactic Jackson, Lőrinc Barabás, Quixotic, Lelle, the musicians of the Hungarian Bar Pianists Association and Stinky Bugs. Theatre fanatics were treated to productions by the Baltazár Theatre and improvisational performances by the Momentán Társulat, while the humor-hungry could enjoy the Budapest Stand-up entertainment at the stations. Those who wanted to dance could enjoy the Budapest Ballet Grand Prix by students of the Hungarian Dance Academy. Those always running late could gain a few minutes by choosing the fast slide instead of the stairs in Kálvin tér, but children were also delighted to bathe in the colourful little balls of the ball pool.
In the Deák Ferenc tér Festival Centre, the Nemadomfel Foundation's café, RadioCafé's live radio show and the ÉnBudapestem application were waiting for passers-by and travellers.
Although the Metro Festival is over, the Metro History Exhibition will continue for two weeks at Lehel tér metro station.
Budapest 150 is also about promoting access, diversity and inclusion. That's why we are working on accessibility, ensuring broad access and widening inclusion. Find all the programmes of the Budapest150 commemorative year at 150.budapest.hu!
The original article (in Hungarian) and more photos of the event on budapestbrand.hu
