There Is More To Transylvania Than Dracula Manchester To Host UK’s First Transylvanian Hungarian Festival – Hungary Today

I want to show the UK that theres more to Hungarians than paprika and more to Transylvania than Dracula, says Ottilia rdg, organiser of the countrys first Transylvanian-Hungarian festival of arts and culture to be held on 13-14 May 2017.

A Transylvanian herself, Ottilia was born in Sepsiszentgyrgy (Sfntu Gheorghe, Ro), Kovszna (Covasna, Ro) county, moving to England with her family aged 12. After twenty years of working tirelessly on the Manchester music scene, managing artists, putting on club nights, presenting a radio show and helping young people of all nationalities record their own music, Ottilia felt it was time she shared her own cultures little known music, dance, cuisine and arts and crafts with her adoptive north west city; a music and football loving city that, for its size, has been called the most culturally diverse in the world. Music, dance and food will be at the heart of Gbfest*, as they are at the heart of Transylvanian culture.

Acts from across the Hungarian diaspora will perform for free in the Manchesters central Albert Square (13/14 May), which will also play host to the citys first Hungarian market. A tnchz will take place at the citys Dancehouse theatre on the preceding Friday. Musicians travelling to Manchester from Transylvania and Hungary cover many styles, from folk right through to classical, jazz, rock and world music. They include hurdy gurdy maestro and renaissance music expert Robert Mandel ,the Mtys Kirly Zither Ensemble, who are all still at school, pop trio Saverne, Transylmania, an eight piece folk rock band who have played together for 15 years and Folktone band.

Traditional folk dance troupes include Hromszk, who will be flying in from Sepsiszentgyrgy and three groups now resident around the UK: H-Unique Dance, Szereds Dance Group London and The Ti-Ti-Ta Hungarian Folkdance Group. The main festival stage will be surrounded by market stalls, selling Hungarian food, drink, arts and crafts. Visitors will be able to sample traditional delicacies for the first time, including gulys, lngos and krtskalcs. A range of alcoholic drinks little known in the UK will also be sold, including Transylvanian craft beer Csiki, palinca and the Tokaji wine. Ottilia said: Over the years, hundreds of people have asked me about Transylvania, where I grew up before moving to England, 26 years ago. Gbfest gives me the opportunity to unveil the mystery.

I think its very important to celebrate diversity and learn about other cultures. Manchester, being the third most multicultural city in the world, gives us the perfect location to do just that.The festival will raise the profile of Transylvanian and Hungarian culture in the UK and plant the seed of Transylvania as a holiday destination. There is a direct flight to Kolozsvr (Cluj-Napoca, Ro) from Liverpool, which is only an hour down the road. I am hoping that Gbfest will also inspire some of the other less well known communities in Manchester to share and showcase their own culture.

Click here to read more about the Gobfest of Manchester!

*Gb is a word meaning crafty Secler. The Szkelys or Szkely are ethnic Hungarians living in SzkelyLand, an ethno-Hungarian region in Transylvania, Romania.

source: gobefest.com

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There Is More To Transylvania Than Dracula Manchester To Host UK's First Transylvanian Hungarian Festival - Hungary Today

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