Góbéfest, Manchester's original international urban folk music and dance festival, is back for its ninth instalment!
Independent food and drink traders will be serving up favourites from around the Carpathian Basin, from giant pans of goulash to the fried flat breads known as lángos and Transylvanian barbecued chimney cakes. Alongside a cocktail bar, there will also be a Hungarian wine stall and a palinka (Hungarian fruit brandy) stand.
Free activities in the family tent include music and dance workshops, arts and crafts and storytelling.
Highlights of the pay-what-you-feel event include a Sunday headline slot from Rioghnach Connolly (current RTÉ Best Folk Singer & BBC Folk Singer of the Year) & her band Honeyfeet.
Travelling from Transylvania are the Udvarhely Folk Dance Workshop, who will be performing an original dance production called Rare Hungarian. Whilst Tilia, a five piece jazz band from Budapest features founder Róza Hárs singing in both Hungarian and English.
Festival regulars and returners include Mátyás Király Zither Ensemble from Hungary, Salford University's global music group Scattered Collective (South Africa/ Portugal/ Bulgaria/ England/ Ireland/ Wales) and La Mort Subite, a Transylvanian-fronted Balkan Gypsy band, featuring accordion, double bass and hurdy gurdy.
Hebden Bridge's Soma Music, who recently headlined the Todmorden Folk Festival, are returning to Góbéfest for 2025, as are Chorlton's all-ages Kalinka Balalaika Orchestra, formed in 1984 and the only regularly performing balalaika group in the UK.
Returning for the second year are Tulipan Zither Band & Folk Arts Academy, a 4-14 group of young enthusiasts who play the citera, a unique Hungarian version of the string instrument.Sunday, which has become known as dance day, will feature a rainbow riot of groups from six Central and Eastern European countries. Podilya, from Ukraine, Tezaur, from Romania, Polonez, from Poland. Bulgarian Rhythms and TK Ripni Ka, from Bulgaria, Hunique, from Hungary and Perkunas, from Lithuania, will showcase the unique costumes, rhythms and steps from their countries.
So, without further ado, let's take a look at some of the food traders who will be supplying the goods during the fest...
Maramures Plai cu Flori
Transylvanian food kings Maramures Plai cu Flori couldn't wait to return to Góbéfest after their first visit last year. Travelling up from Milton Keynes, they will be cooking up toltott kaposzta (sarmale), which are mincemeat-stuffed cabbage leaves and gulyas (bogracs gulyas), the slow-cooked meat and vegetable stew seasoned with lots of paprika that is synonymous with Hungarian cuisine.
On the grill will be mici (mititei in Hungarian), which are small, grilled rolls of ground beef, lamb, and pork, seasoned with garlic, paprika, and other spices, pork steaks, smoked sausage, chicken thighs and vegetable kebabs, all served with fries and pickles.
The Hungry Hungarian
Hungarian Peter Kovacs and his Jamaican wife live in Oldham and make the authentic Hungarian street food called lángos. For the uninitiated, they're fried flatbreads topped with sour cream, grated cheese and garlic, and sometimes salami or ham.
Parázska x Pretzi Bakery
Parázska is an award-winning kürtőskalács, that is chimney cake, maker from Transylvania. Milton Keyes bakery Pretzi travelled to Góbéfest to learn from the best how to barbecue these sweet pastries to perfection over a charcoal grill. Alongside traditional versions, expect pleasing twists, from the addition of ingredients including dried raspberries and chilli flakes in this UK/ Transylvania collab.
Mihócsa Pálinka x The Cocktail Broker
Another collab, this time between an artisan Hungarian spirit producer and a London cocktail purveyor. Mihócsa Pálinka sources fruits, including peaches, plums, cherries, pears and strawberries from the Hungarian agricultural city of Kecskemét and its surroundings, double distilling them using traditional processes into the clear spirit pálinka. You can either sample them neat (there are 40% and 50% proof versions) or as one of a number of pálinka cocktails specially created for Góbéfest, including the Maleficent (pálinka, cherry brandy, blackberry and pineapple.)
Three Greedy Pigs
Hailing from South Yorkshire, Three Greedy Pigs sells a wide selection of traditional German sausages prepared on a super-sized Bavarian charcoal swing grill. From currywurst to foot-long chilli beef frankfurters, beechwood-smoked sausages with creamy Emmental cheese, turkey hot dogs and vegan bratwurst, there's something for everyone.
Best of Hungary Wine Bar
Best of Hungary is an award-winning UK-based specialist online food and drink retailer. At Góbéfest, they will be serving still and sparkling organic Tokaji white wines from the historic Grof Degenfeld winery, ruby red Bull's Blood (Bikaver) wine and the multi-award-winning Tokaji gin from Seven Hills Distillery in Bodrogkisfaludn in north-east Hungary.
Chimney Cake Paradise
Chimney Cake Paradise from London will be serving up Hungarian delights, including lángos and chimney cake, alongside a selection of soft drinks.
Matcha Lab
Using high-quality matcha powder imported from Japan, Jiayi Li of Matcha Lab will be offering a variety of matcha-based cold drinks, including a matcha strawberry latte, from this new Stockport mobile trader.
D&X Caribbean
Rusholme's well-loved D&X Caribbean is bringing the enticing aromas of jerk chicken, curried goat, and fresh seafood to Góbéfest, drawing in festival-goers eager to experience the rich culinary traditions of the Caribbean.
Java John's
Mancunian coffee connoisseurs Java John's will be serving up iced teas including passion fruit and lemon and watermelon, iced lattes and dusted hot chocolates alongside, of course, top quality coffee.
M&N Catering
Wiganer Navenka Cubbins will be serving up delicious churros, crepes, waffles, loaded doughnuts and barista-made coffee.