World Champion Tap Dancer Headlining the Spectacular Anna Ball
The 199th Anna Ball is set to take place on July 27 in Balatonfüred, located on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, with an anticipated attendance of 600 guests, as reported by the Hungarian Nation. The Anna Ball accompanies the Anna Festival and various other activities. This year, the female participants will be adorned in pale purple porcelain hearts inspired by the rose garden of the Tagore Promenade in the town.
Mayor István Bóka emphasized the significance of the upcoming 200th anniversary of the ball, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the birth of Mór Jókai, stating that these milestones hold great importance for Balatonfüred.
In anticipation of the event, the town has extended invitations to 18-year-old girls from Balatonfüred to partake in the Anna Ball. The participants will gather in the garden of the Vaszary villa before commencing a procession to the recently renovated Anna Grand Hotel.
The ball will transport attendees back to the music and ambiance of the 1920s and 1930s, with guests given the opportunity to vote for the 15 girls to be selected by a professional jury as the belle and ladies-in-waiting of the ball.
Artistic performances by Bálint Gájer, the Cotton Club Singers, Gábriel Farkas, and others are scheduled, with the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra and ballet dancers from the Hungarian State Opera offering entertainment throughout the evening.
The belle of the ball and her two ladies-in-waiting will be revealed at midnight, following which they will showcase their talents on the Kisfaludy Stage the following day, concluding with a promenade around the city.
The Anna Ball serves as a platform for debutantes, allowing parents to introduce their adolescents to society. Originating on July 26, 1825, in Balatonfüred, the event has since become a beloved tradition. In honor of the memory of Ernő Kiss, a hussar lieutenant-general who played a role in Hungarian history, a Herend porcelain statue of a hussar is presented annually to an individual who has made significant cultural and spiritual contributions to Balatonfüred since 2003.
Stay tuned for the grand celebration of the 200th Anna Ball next year, a momentous occasion that will coincide with the illustrious history and culture of Balatonfüred.
