Hungarian Folkarts; Easter Egg Decorating Workshop

Name: Hungarian Folkarts; Easter Egg Decorating Workshop
Start: 2026-04-04T14:00:00-06:00
Location: Hungarian Cultural Centre

Schedule

Sat, 04 Apr, 2026 at 02:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

Hungarian Cultural Centre | Calgary, AB

Egg painting is one of the oldest traditions of Easter! For thousands of years, eggs have been regarded as symbols of life, birth and renewal. Hungarian decorated eggs were originally almost always dyed red because red symbolizes renewal and the sprouting of new life. Within the Christian tradition red symbolizes the blood of Christ, while the egg, eternal life.
There are various methods for decorating eggs, and many regions have their own special methods or patterns. Sometimes they are hand painted using floral motifs from the various folk regions found in Hungary. Other times simple geometric shapes or ancient symbols such as the wheel of the sun or the cockscomb adorn the eggs. Sometimes trained craftsmen decorate blown eggs with tiny metal horseshoes. Other times patterns are engraved on dyed egg with a knife revealing a deeper or paler colour underneath. Sometimes eggs are simply dyed red by hard boiling them together with onion skins and then rubbed with bacon rind skin to give them a sheen. In more recent times other plants and materials have been used to dye eggs in different colours.
However, Wax-Resist Dyeing is the most popular method for Hungarians to decorate their Easter eggs. A pattern is painted onto the shell using a quill dipped in molten wax. The egg is dyed, and then warmed slightly to melt off the wax, so that the white, undyed pattern appears.
Come join us as our talented Anna Borbála Kis leads you on how to use the wax-resist method for your own Easter eggs!
Please note;
- This workshop is limited to adults and mature youth 12+ due to working with sharp tools and hot materials
- This workshop requires registration. Please e-transfer fee of $40 per person to [email protected] with the names of those attending.
- Parallel to this workshop there will be a free family event; Easter Traditions in Hungary, featuring an Easter egg hunt and crafts for the children, a market and kitchen serving traditional Hungarian foods, and teaching circles of Hungarian folk dance. To wrap up the family event there will be a presentation of the Easter Monday tradition of Locsolás. For more information on the free event, visit;
https://www.facebook.com/share/1GBXLxS6ga/
We hope to see you there!
Kellemes Húsvéti Ünnepeket!