Sponsored by the Hungarian American Cultural Center (HACC), this year’s festival was as lively as ever. With a great crowd, plenty of gulyás teams, music by the Detroit Duo and folk dance performances the event was a testament to the strength of Detroit’s diaspora.
“This year’s event went so smoothly. We can’t thank all of our volunteers enough,” says Erzsike Krajcz, the festival’s key point-person and HACC’s Treasurer/Board Member. “It was great to see old and new faces. It was a chance to be Hungarian for a day – eat our iconic foods, toast to old friends, and catch up. We have a remarkable community and so many people came out to help us or support the event by attending.”
Seven teams entered the gulyás cooking competition. Names like Erdélyi Csipet-Csapat, Takács Market, Merész Mókusok, Napsugár Örs, Süsüék (with green t-shirts), Gézen-Gulyás and Pesti Pista. The local team of Erdélyi Csipet-Csapat came out on top, Gézen-Gulyás in second place, with Takács Market in third place. Merész Mókusok earned the popular vote.
“I had such a great time cooking with everyone,” says Anikó Merkert (Napsugár Örs). “Ramona and I had a secret sauce for sure (plus my sourdough bread) but that wasn’t what this whole festival was about. It was about being with friends, family, share laughs, dance and connect.”
This year also featured guest folk dance performers from Hungary and Maryland. Two Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Program fellowship recipients, Kíra Kleopátra Kertész (stationed in Seattle) and Hajdu Bence Zsolt (stationed in Maryland), joined Anna De Cheke and Leó Demeter Qualls from the Tisza Ensemble. The evening before the festival Kertész and Hajdu also taught a mezőségi master class at HACC for the public.
“I want to send a special shout out to our guest performers. It was a real treat to have that piece at the festival. The afternoon kids táncház, followed by the adult version later was a great addition. We had a lot of participation, and that’s always what we hope for,” says Krajcz. “We Hungarians are all about community, and I think everyone felt it that day.”
Click on the photo for all the photos from the Taste of Gulyás Festival 2024.
