7 Interesting Facts You Might Not Have Known About the Anna Ball

There are few summer traditions in Hungary that simultaneously evoke the elegance of Lake Balaton during the Reform Eraand is still a vibrant community event today. The Anna Ball in Balatonfüred is exactly that—for nearly two hundred years, it has been one of the most unique celebrations of the Lake Balaton summer: a convergence of history, romance, and tradition. 

The Anna Ball is now not only a major event in Balatonfüred, but one of Hungary's best-known cultural events, which has been part of the Hungarikum Collection since 2024. But do you know how this unique tradition began, and what customs are associated with it? We’ve compiled seven interesting facts that even you might not have known before.

On July 26, 1825, to be exact, on St. Anne’s Day, a celebration was held at Horváth House in honor of Anna-Krisztina, the daughter of János Fülöp Szentgyörgyi Horváth. This marked the beginning of a tradition that continues to define the summer in Balatonfüred to this day.

Anna-Krisztina met her future husband, First Lieutenant Ernő Kiss, at her debut ball; he later made a name for himself as one of the heroes of the 1848–49 Revolution and War of Independence, and as one of the Martyrs of Arad, he made his mark on Hungarian history.

In the 19th century, the Anna Ball was considered one of the most significant social events of the aristocracy; thus, well-known figures of the era, including Mihály Vörösmarty and Mór Jókai, took part in the event.

Although the ball has now become almost synonymous with the name of Füred, Anna Balls were previously held at other spa towns— for example, in Leányfalu and Miskolctapolca. However, the event was not always held in Balatonfüred, nor was it always held on St. Anne’s Day: between the two world wars, for example, it took place in Balatonalmádi, Csopak, and Tihany; in fact, balls modeled after the one in Füred were also held on the southern shore in Siófok, Balatonföldvár, and Zamárdi. The event has been held every year in Balatonfüred since 1954, with the exception of 2020, when the ball was canceled due to the pandemic.

These days, Balatonfüred celebrates the Anna Ball with a multi-day series of events known as the Anna Festival. One of the best-known traditions is the opening ceremony of the ball, heart-pulling ceremony, which draws inspiration from Gyula Krúdy’s “Heart-Pulling at Lake Balaton” short story. Participants release wooden hearts inscribed with names from a boat into the waters of Lake Balaton, then try to fish them out with a net. The lucky winner who pulls out the grand prize will win a pair of tickets to next year’s Anna Ball, along with a guest.

Although the Queen of the Ball was already being elected in the 19th century—first in 1862, when Irma Kozma was chosen— they have been officially elected every year since the 1950s at the Anna Ball, along with two court ladies. The winners receive special vases from Herend Porcelain Manufactory as gifts, and the next day, they will parade through the streets of Balatonfüred in ornate carriages.

This nearly 200-year-old event was added to the Hungarikum Collection in 2024. But what exactly is a “Hungarikum”? When they hear the word, most people immediately think of red paprika, Makó onions, or even Tokaji Aszú, even though the Collection of Hungarikums also includes items that are less tangible. In the Bakony-Balaton region, Herend porcelain was added in 2013, while Hévíz Lake and traditional Hévíz balneotherapy were added to the list in 2015.