Malomvölgy Festival - jazz, world music, gastrofest

From 13 to 15 August 2026, the Malomvölgy Festival welcomes jazz and quality live music enthusiasts to Lovas, one of the most charming villages in the Balaton Highlands. The three-day event takes place in a special natural setting, on the green area surrounding the Márffy House by the Séd Stream, offering intimate concert experiences where leading domestic jazz and world music performers, local gastronomy, and the wines of the Balaton Highlands come together in a cozy boutique festival. Thanks to the proximity of the stream and the shade-giving trees, the festival takes place in a pleasantly cool location even in the summer heat, aiming to offer an alternative to large-scale events by focusing on direct, human-scale musical experiences. Besides the concerts, gastronomy also plays an important role at the festival. Visitors can enjoy a varied, quality street food selection at the Márffy House: cevapcici made from their own beef in pita, several types of quiche lorraine, freshly grilled dishes, and daily soups are on the menu. The offer is completed by walking platters featuring local cheeses, homemade pies, wines from the Balaton Highlands, Hungarian craft beers, sparkling wine, pálinka, fresh smoothies, and quality coffee. The goal is to pair the musical experience with flavors that evoke the atmosphere of the Balaton Highlands just as much as the festival's picturesque surroundings. Just a few steps from the festival venue, morning matinee concerts await the audience at Lovas Harbour, which are free and open to all interested visitors. The Malomvölgy Festival is organized by the Budapest Jazz Club and strives to enrich the summer cultural offerings of the Balaton Highlands with a high-quality, family-friendly jazz festival. The festival is free for visitors under 16 and residents of Lovas. Venue: Lovas, Malomvölgy, Márffy House Date: 13–15 August 2026 Further information and ticket purchase: www.malomvolgyfesztival.hu Detailed main programs: CAFUNE Cafuné's repertoire includes special pieces of traditional South American guitar music. Their acoustic sound continues a tradition represented by Dilermando Reis, Augusto Garoto, Baden Powell, and Luiz Bonfa. The authentic sound is enhanced by the voice of Anna Pataki, who interprets this style in Portuguese and Spanish with a rarely heard naturalness. The pulsating samba and gentle bossa nova worlds recall the jazz clubs of the 1960s. SÁRIK PÉTER TRIO X BARTÓK The Sárik Péter Trio released its first album of Bartók arrangements in 2018, which was presented at the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy. Since then, the program has been performed in 15 countries, achieving great success from Finland through Kazakhstan to China. The astonishing power and dynamics of Bartók's works almost sweep the listener away; his music is full of excitement, mysticism, boundless depth, and clarity. The trio created this material to make Bartók's music loved even by those who might have been reluctant to it before. SZIRTES EDINA MÓKUS & NAGY YANCHA DUO Szirtes Edina Mókus is one of the most unconventional figures on the Hungarian world music scene. Her rare "cocktail" is virtuoso professionalism combined with a completely natural personality. She travels through folk, chanson, eastern, and contemporary sounds, but her distinctive violin runs and compelling, raw singing elevate her beyond all currents. János Nagy Yancha, a defining figure of the Hungarian jazz scene, plays a significant role not only as a recognized jazz pianist but also as a bandleader and composer. HARCSA VERONIKA & GYÉMÁNT BÁLINT DUO For Veronika and Bálint, their acoustic duo has become their most important joint formation. Although their latest album Shapeshifter was recorded as a quartet with two Belgian musicians, the core of their collaboration remains the duo setup. They have developed how to achieve the fullest sound with just one guitar and voice, along with songs carrying personal inspiration, depth, freedom, and humor. PANKSTIC! Pankastic! achieved outstanding success already in its first year with its unique sound. The band is characterized by a blend of manouche swing and pop melodies, a light yet explosively energetic performance, and virtuosic improvisations. ELSA VALLE AFROCANDO The fiery, unrestrained energy singer Elsa Valle comes from Cuba, the homeland of frenetic rhythms and divine melodies, and is a great favorite of the audience. The artist, who carries Afro-jazz in her blood, plays music with her new band Afrocando that combines afro-jazz and bebop elements into a complex rhythmic and melody-oriented style.