Góbéfest 2026 - 10th Anniversary
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Góbéfest (go-bee-fest), Manchester's original 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 the lively fiddles of Hungarian folk to 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.
Line-Up
MUSIC
Ildikó Keresztes,
Annamari Dancs,
Bekecs Dance Theatre,
Tcha Limberger’s Kalotaszeg Trip (Afyerparty@Band on The Wall),
Bárd Dalok,
Salamon Küzkő Quintet,
Manchester International Roots Orchestra,
Rubber Duck Orchestra,
Kaloco Band
Ildikó Csige & Michael Billington
Tulipán Hungarian Folk Arts Academy
Kalinka Balalaika Orchestra
DANCE & Music
Bekecs Dance Theatre,
Hunique Dance Ensemble
Polonez Polish Folk Ensemble
Ansamblul Tezaur Romanian Folk Ensemble
Bulgarian Rhythms Dance Group
TK ‘Ripnika’ NW Bulgarian Dance Group
KaskoSan Roma Dance Group
Podilya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble
Vetrunge Lithuanian folk dance group alongside Leeds Saulutė & Manchester Lithuanian Sunday school folk dance group
+ More To be announced
Drum Therapy Collective
Creative & Music Workshops, Folk Dance Classes
Storytelling, Arts & Crafts
Food and Drink Stalls, Bars
Inspired by the Magic of Transylvania and the Carpathian Basin
Eastern & Central European Culture
A Full Weekend of Live Music, Dance, Food & Drink
Ticket Info:
Free Tickets & Suggested Donations Available
Your donations support great artists, live performances, kids workshops and helps to keep our festival going.
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 the lively fiddles of Hungarian folk to 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.
Line-Up
MUSIC
Ildikó Keresztes,
Annamari Dancs,
Bekecs Dance Theatre,
Tcha Limberger’s Kalotaszeg Trip (Afyerparty@Band on The Wall),
Bárd Dalok,
Salamon Küzkő Quintet,
Manchester International Roots Orchestra,
Rubber Duck Orchestra,
Kaloco Band
Ildikó Csige & Michael Billington
Tulipán Hungarian Folk Arts Academy
Kalinka Balalaika Orchestra
DANCE & Music
Bekecs Dance Theatre,
Hunique Dance Ensemble
Polonez Polish Folk Ensemble
Ansamblul Tezaur Romanian Folk Ensemble
Bulgarian Rhythms Dance Group
TK ‘Ripnika’ NW Bulgarian Dance Group
KaskoSan Roma Dance Group
Podilya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble
Vetrunge Lithuanian folk dance group alongside Leeds Saulutė & Manchester Lithuanian Sunday school folk dance group
+ More To be announced
Drum Therapy Collective
Creative & Music Workshops, Folk Dance Classes
Storytelling, Arts & Crafts
Food and Drink Stalls, Bars
Inspired by the Magic of Transylvania and the Carpathian Basin
Eastern & Central European Culture
A Full Weekend of Live Music, Dance, Food & Drink
Ticket Info:
Free Tickets & Suggested Donations Available
Your donations support great artists, live performances, kids workshops and helps to keep our festival going.
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Where is it happening?
Cathedral Gardens, Corporation Street, M43BG Manchester, United Kingdom, Corporation St (Stop NP), Corporation Street, Manchester, M4 3, United Kingdom
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherGóbéfest
