The theatre festival, in its 45th year, will host the three-day Körös-völgyi sokadalom folk arts festival starting June 27. While the Békés County Folk Arts Association shows their crafts, folk dancers and musicians will entertain visitors. One of the highlights of the festival will be the second National Children's Folk Dance Festival.
For the fourth time, the Gyula Castle Theatre will host the Shakespeare Festival. On the programme of the festival within a festival, which starts June 30, is a production of Romeo and Juliet by London's Shakespeare's Globe and another of Macbeth by the Meno Fortas company of Lithuania directed by Eimuntas Nekrosius. The Gyula Castle Theatre Company and the Hungarian Theatre of Cluj-Napoca will premiere a joint production of Richard III directed by Gábor Tompa, and a production of The Winter's Tale will be performed by a Japanese company. The world-famous Romanian director Silviu Purcarete will bring a production of Measure for Measure to Gyula on July 2. On July 11, the Croatian National Ballet will bring Tchaikovsky's Hamlet to the stage with Svebor Seak in the lead. Hungary's leading alternative theatre company Krétakör will show hamlet.ws, and, for children, the Subotica Children's Theatre will bring their puppet show Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark to Gyula on July 9.
Festival-goers will also be able to enjoy concerts featuring music from the time of Shakespeare, and two local restaurants will offer a Shakespeare menu with period dishes. An art exhibition entitled Shakespeare in Posters will also open.
The Castle Jazz Festival, which is being organised for the 17th year within the framework of the Gyula Castle Theatre programme, kicks off June 19. It will feature performances by The Yellowjackets, with Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Bob Mintzer, Marcus Baylor and special guest Mike Stern. Representing Hungary will be the Kornél Feket-Kovács Quintet and the Borbély Workshop. The Gyula Big Band will play at the festival for the fourth time.
The Castle Blues Festival will start July 20. On the programme will be Ron Ringwood and his band from the United States. Romania's best known blues act, Bega Blues Band, will also play.
Performing for the Folk and World Music Festival, which starts August 5, is the troubadour from Provence Miqueu Montanaro and a trio of Hungary's best young female folk singers - Szilvia Bognár, Ágnes Herczku and Ági Szalóki.
