Góbéfest

Góbéfest (go-bee-fest), Manchester's original international urban folk music and dance festival, is celebrating a decade of love, lutes and lángos this June.

The weekend promises an expertly curated outdoor mix of bands and solo artists, folk dance groups, choirs and more.Expect vibrant folk traditions from across Europe and beyond, and a rich mix of music, from lively fiddles, hints of jazz, Balkan rhythms and Gypsy sounds, to even a touch of operetta.

Manchester's central Cathedral Gardens will be transformed into a joyous pan-European melting pot from lunchtime on Friday 19 June until late on Sunday 21 June 2026.

Independent food and drink traders will be serving up favourites from around the Carpathian Basin and beyond. Expect giant simmering pans of goulash, the crème fraîche and cheese-topped fried flatbreads known as lángos and Transylvanian Hungarian chimney cakes, spit-roasted to order over a flaming barbecue, known as Kürtőskalács.

Alongside a craft beer stand, a pálinka bar will offer traditional flavours of Hungarian fruit brandy including plum and cherry, and a wine stall will happily educate visitors that there is more to Hungarian wine than the infamous Bull's Blood.

Free activities in the family tent include music and dance workshops, arts and crafts and storytelling.

Established in 2017, Góbéfest has its roots firmly in Transylvania, but over the years has expanded its reach to cherry pick some of the finest artists from all over the UK and Europe