Aura Bay Grand Opening
The French Afro House pioneer headlines the grand opening of Aura Bay Open Air: a brand- new venue situated within new Light Park on Ódubai Island on the Danube in Budapest — Friday 18 September 2026.
On Friday 18 September 2026, two milestones arrive on the same night. HUGEL, one of the most influential Afro House artists in the world, plays his first standalone headline show in Hungary. He does so as the headline act of an Open Air party for the grand opening of Aura Bay, a brand-new, jaw dropping outdoor event concept situated partially within the new state-of-the-art light park spectacle at Óduba Bay on Budapest’s Óbudai Island. From 15:00 until 23:00, HUGEL becomes one of the first DJ’s to take the reins behind the decks in the awe-inspiring new venue, alongside a host of other talent including Tom Enzy, Gatano and more – set to take advantage of its cutting-edge light installations to illuminate minds for one night. The historic former shipyard comes to life and showcases a vibrant landmark moment in the city’s cultural calendar. The pairing is deliberate. A globally significant artist premiering a venue built to amaze with its unmistakable aesthetic; Aura Bay Open Air opens as one of the most unique dance destinations in the world. Built to bring world-class music and extraordinary visual environments to the heart of Budapest.
Aura Bay Open Air is a new open-air venue on Óbudai Island (Hajógyári-sziget), the historic former shipyard set on the Danube in Budapest. It sits within a broader destination of Aura Bay that combines immersive light installations, sculptures and overall experiences in both indoor and outdoor settings. With the Open Air venue taking space within a portion of the outdoor section of the Light Park, making use of its illuminated gardens and 20-metre illuminated LED whale while partying under the stars – the environment is unlike any other party in the world. With the whale as the centre piece, plenty of other attractions line the grounds; a walkable illuminated pyramid, the botanical light garden of Blooms Park, the Crystal Garden, twin 4,000-LED sculpture faces of Talking Heads and the interactive Kickit light-ball court turn the grounds into a living, luminous landscape.