Raise your hand if you want to go to a ball!
If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know me…I love any chance to dress up! Bonus points if there’s also food involved. So imagine my delight when I learned that Budapest has an active calendar of festive balls and charity dinners!
With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, I realized I’d never talked about my experience going to the St. Paddy’s Day ball–it’s not exactly at the top of any lists I’ve found for St. Patrick’s Day activities in Budapest.
I also didn’t see a lot of people my age there–a lot of the crowd was made up of executives or those working in the embassies–so I wanted to put it on your radar! What can you expect from the St. Patrick’s Day Gala Dinner?
Put on by the Irish Hungarian Business Circle, and typically held at the Mariott, we arrived (sporting our finest green frocks, of course) ready for a good time!
I remember having a good chuckle during cocktail hour as a very important rugby game was on at the same time–you could hear cheers erupting from the side of the room as the night went on.
Once it was time to find our seats, we settled in for the speeches before a delicious three-course meal (we may have broken into the whiskey before dinner started, but who can blame us?).
I find that these nights usually go by so quickly! It’s quite pleasant to mill around after dinner, taking in the Danube view from the terrace, grabbing a personalized Guinness, visiting the photo booth, or just otherwise enjoying ourselves. And then of course, there’s the dancing!
What Does the Ticket Include?
At 33,000 HUF/$90 (as of 2024), the ticket price is steeper than what you’ll find for a lot of Budapest events. Aside from the setting, charity donation, and networking opportunities, it includes a three course meal, entertainment, and an open bar for the duration of the evening.
All in all, the St. Patrick’s Day ball is a pretty tame evening, but a great excuse to dress up and meet new people. I popped in some photos–but I was having too good of a time to take more than a few!
If you have any questions about future balls/charity dinners in Budapest, reach out! I’d love to dance the night away with you!
Sláinte!
Xx Denae
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