The event, nestled in one of Hungary’s greenest urban landscapes, invited citizens and visitors alike to sit shoulder to shoulder at a vast communal table stretching through the valley. But this was far more than a picnic. It was a celebration of urban biodiversity and Veszprém’s unwavering commitment to preserving it.
Participants sampled the city’s own honey, brewed from the efforts of the newly launched Urban Beekeeping Programme, and explored interactive stations run by local ecologists, gardeners, and climate experts. Children painted faces, families sipped herbal teas, and curious minds learned about pollinator-friendly gardening, composting, urban deadwood, and the life teeming in the city’s streams.
“Veszprém 2030”, the city’s long-term development strategy, places green wellbeing at its core aiming not just for environmental sustainability, but for a living connection between citizens and nature. That ethos was palpable throughout the festival. From the celebrated “Wildflower Veszprém” initiative to hands-on experiments with telescope and solar observation, the day blended science with story, and education with festivity.
The event’s inclusive, joyful atmosphere proved that sustainability can be engaging even playful. And as music floated over the valley and bees buzzed nearby, the festival became not just a model for eco-conscious urbanism, but a living example of what a biodiverse, people-centred city can feel like.
URBACT cities across Europe would do well to take note. Veszprém didn’t just talk about biodiversity it made people taste it, touch it, and celebrate it.
You can find some pictures below taken by Bakony-Balaton Média Kft.:
