Amidst towering pines and massive pedunculate oaks, Debrecen's open-air stage was built in 1950 in one of the most beautiful parts of the Great Forest area. At its innaguration ceremony on June 10, 1950, Zoltán Kodály's musical play Székelyfonó was performed in the presence of the composer, directed by Imre Csenki. The set design, which featured a stylized Székely weaving and a Székely gate, was created by painter József Menyhárt.

Over the decades, the Nagyerdő Open-Air Stage became an integral part of Debrecen's cultural life, entertaining generations until the early 2000s. However, by the turn of the millennium, the stage had deteriorated to such an extent that it had to be closed. Despite this, memories of the performances remained vividly in the hearts of the city's residents, and alongside the older generation's nostalgia, the desire of younger generations for the stage's reopening became increasingly prominent.

For this reason, the city council made it a priority to revive the dormant open-air stage. When funding was secured , it was clear that the 2 billion forint reconstruction of the park would include the renovation, expansion and accessibility improvements of the former open-air stage building. Thus, in the summer of 2014, in its original location but now renewed to meet modern standards, the Great Forest Open-Air Stage—holding 1,017 seats—once again opened its doors as the largest open-air theater in the Northern Great Plain region. Additionally, the open space situated right in front of the Stage's main entrance on the shore of Békás Lake and accommodating 500 people, also provides opportunities for events. Thanks to this comprehensive development, the Nagyerdő Open-Air Stage, operated by Csokonai National Theater Debrecen since 2022, has regained its original function: to provide high-quality entertainment, now meeting the expectations of the 21st century.

The house rules define the behavior expected between individuals present at the venue and outline the requirements for the proper use, protection, and preservation of the property. It is in our shared interest that users spend their time at the Great Forest Open-Air stage in a safe and cultured environment. In case of disturbances, after a warning, we will initiate an infringement procedure and in the case of damage, we will demand compensation.

1. The Great Forest Open-Air Stage, operated by Csokonai National Theatre Debrecen (referred to as the Theatre from now), is only open during events.
2. Private events held at the Nagyerdei Outdoor Stage may only be attended by invited guests.
3. The prerequisite for attending events with an entrance fee is the purchase of a ticket.
4. The building is guarded and monitored with security cameras.
5. It is forbidden to bring any food or beverages into the premises. Only food and beverages purchased from the on-site catering facilities may be consumed and only in the designated areas.
6. In the buffet, alcoholic beverages may only be sold to visitors over the age of 18.
7. Attending events while intoxicated is not permitted.
8. Smoking is only allowed in designated smoking areas.
9. The Theatre is the only entity authorized to record photo and video footage of the events. If you appear in any images taken by the Theatre, you may not make any claims against the creators or those who authorized the recordings.
10. Visitors are not permitted to record photo or video footage of the events. If a visitor does not cease unauthorized recording upon request by staff members, the organizers can ask them to leave the premises. The Theatre is not liable for compensation in such cases of removal.
11. We ask everyone to turn off their mobile phones during performances!
12. Children under the age of 10 may only remain on the premises of the Great Forest Open-Air stage under supervision by an adult.
13. Performances at the Great Forest Open-Air stage – with the exception of children's performances – are not recommended for children under 6 years old. Please consider the age recommendations for each performance!
14. It is forbidden to bring any means of transportation (strollers, bicycles, motorcycles, skateboards, scooters, etc.) onto the premises of the Great Forest Open-Air stage. The Theatre is not responsible for any items left outside the premises.
15. In case of a visitor disturbing other visitors with their behavior or noise during the show, the staff may ask the disruptive individual to leave the event. The Theatre is not liable for compensation in such cases of removal.
16. Animals are not allowed on the premises of the Great Forest Open-Air stage! The only exceptions are guide dogs and, in justified cases, specially trained animals.
17. Preserving the condition of the building is in everyone's interest, in case of damaging the property the responsible parties will be liable for compensation.
18. The Theatre reserves the right to change the programme at any time.

Behaviour in violation of the house rules can be reported by the organizers and affected parties at the city hall. We kindly ask our visitors to help ensure the proper and calm operation of the Great Forest Open-Air stage by adhering to the house rules.

We would like to inform our audience that the following rules apply to open-air events organized by Csokonai National Theater Debrecen (referred to as the Theater from now) at the Great Forest Open-Air stage in the event of unfavorable weather conditions:

Most of the audience attending outdoor events in Debrecen comes prepared for the risk of unfavorable weather each year. The Theater's intent is to begin and continue the scheduled outdoor events even under uncertain weather conditions.

Since the seating area at the Great Forest Open-Air stage does not have roofing, we kindly ask our audience to bring warm and waterproof clothing, and if possible, bring raincoats in case of inclement weather.

Please note that umbrellas cannot be used during the event at the Great Forest Open-Air Stage, as they obstruct other audience members' view of the stage.

If a specific rain date has been set for the event, the purchased ticket cannot be refunded.

Tickets can only be refunded if the event is canceled by the Theater or if it cannot be held on the designated rain date due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The Theater reserves the right to cancel the event in the case of unfavorable, extreme weather conditions and will inform the audience of the cancellation at any time, either prior to the event on the day of the performance or at the venue, immediately before or after the performance begins.

In such cases, if a rain date has been announced, the Theater will hold the performance on that rain date.

If no rain date has been set or if unfavorable weather conditions occur on the rain date as well, the Theater reserves the right to cancel the event.

Furthermore, the Theater reserves the right to cancel the performance at any time on the day of the event due to unforeseen and unavoidable obstacles beyond its control, including but not limited to illness, severe weather conditions posing a serious threat to human health, war, rebellion, terrorism, strike, accident, fire, blockade, flood, natural disaster, severe energy supply disruption, the COVID-19 virus, or other serious infections resulting in a pandemic or public health emergency.

The Theater will inform the audience of the cancellation via its communication channels (www.csokonaiszinhaz.hu, Facebook page, Instagram, etc.).

If unfavorable weather conditions occur at the event location, the following rules apply:

For events with no intermission (one-act), if half of the event’s total duration has been completed, the event is considered to have taken place.

For two-part events, if unfavorable weather occurs after the first part, the event is also considered to have taken place if it is interrupted after the completion of the first part.

The Theater has the right to wait to start the event or continue a paused first part under the following conditions:

a) For ONE-PART EVENTS, if unfavorable weather or technical difficulties occur at the start of the event or during the first half:

• In July, the latest waiting time is until 10:00 PM (or until 10:30 PM for events starting at 9:00 PM).
• In August and September, the latest waiting time is until 9:30 PM.

If unfavorable weather interrupts the event before half of it has been completed and the event is not held, for events with a RAIN DATE, the tickets are valid for the designated rain date, which can be found on the www.csokonaiszinhaz.hu website. If there is no designated rain date, tickets can be refunded or exchanged for another event according to the rules outlined in this policy.

b) For TWO-PART EVENTS, if unfavorable weather or technical difficulties occur at the start of the first part or during the first part:

• In July, the latest waiting time is until 10:00 PM (or until 10:30 PM for events starting at 9:00 PM).
• In August and September, the latest waiting time is until 9:30 PM (or until 7:30 PM for events starting at 6:00 PM and until 9:00 PM for events starting at 7:30 PM).

TICKET REFUNDS AND EXCHANGES

Tickets can only be refunded or exchanged in the following cases:

If an event is interrupted before half of its total duration for ONE-PART EVENTS or before the end of the first part for TWO-PART EVENTS due to unfavorable weather and the event is not held:

• For events with NO RAIN DATE, tickets can be refunded or exchanged for another event within 5 business days following the canceled event at the original point of purchase during opening hours (exchanges are only possible for tickets purchased at the Theater's box office).
• For events WITH A RAIN DATE, the tickets are valid for the designated rain date, which is available on the csokonaiszinhaz.hu website. If unfavorable weather occurs on the rain date, tickets can only be refunded if the event is not held on the rain date. In this case, tickets can be refunded or exchanged for another event within 5 business days following the canceled event at the original point of purchase during opening hours (exchanges are only possible for tickets purchased at the Theater's box office).

Whether an event will be held on the scheduled day is decided by the Theater on-site.

The box office cannot process late refunds. The on-site box office is not obligated to offer refunds. There is no option to refund tickets at the venue on the day of the canceled event!

Tickets cannot be refunded if an audience member leaves an interrupted event, but the event is held later that evening due to improved weather conditions.

We kindly ask our audience to keep their tickets until the end of the event, as this is necessary for re-entry to the venue on the designated rain date in case of an interrupted event!

Please be informed that in the event of unfavorable weather conditions, the performances may take place on the following dates:

In cases where TWO PERFORMANCES ARE SCHEDULED and a RAIN DATE has been set:

• In the event of cancellation due to unfavorable weather, tickets are automatically valid for the rain date of the performances.
• IF BOTH PERFORMANCES ARE CANCELED:
  • Tickets for the FIRST PERFORMANCE are automatically valid for the RAIN DATE.
  • Tickets for the SECOND PERFORMANCE can be refunded or exchanged for another event within 5 business days following the canceled event at the original point of purchase during opening hours (exchanges are only possible for tickets purchased at the box office).

If you have purchased a ticket for any of the above performances and it was canceled, please check the www.csokonaiszinhaz.hu website for details about the rescheduled performance.

The Theater reserves the right to change the program and cast. We wish you an enjoyable and memorable experience!

The Csokonai National Theater Debrecen Company

Accepted payment methods when purchasing tickets:

• Cash, Credit/debit cards, OTP SZÉP-card, MBH SZÉP-card, Csokonai giftcard

Please note that you won't be able to reserve seats at our ticket offices! We kindly ask our audience to hold on to their tickets until the show is over.

The Great Forest Open-Air stage is accessible and also equipped with restrooms designed for people affected by disabilities.

For our mobility-impaired viewers, we strive to provide the most suitable seating for their needs at events held at the Great Forest Open-Air stage, as well as to make ticket purchasing easier.

To discuss your specific needs, please call +36 20 297 0788 or email info@csokonaiszinhaz.hu.

Csokonai Theatre ticket office

4024 Debrecen, Kossuth street 10.

Telephone: +36 52 / 314 770

E-mail: jegypenztar@csokonaiszinhaz.hu

Opening hours:

Monday-Friday: 9:00-19:00. Closed during lunchtime: 12:00-13:00

On days when a show takes place: open until the start of the play.
For weekend shows open in the hour before the show starts.

Csokonai Forum ticket office

4024 Debrecen, Csapó street 30.

Telephone: +36 20 / 297 2047

E-mail: jegypenztar@csokonaiszinhaz.hu

Opening hours:

Open on days when a show takes place, for two hours before the show starts

Great Forest Open-Air stage ticket office

4032 Debrecen, Nagyerdei park 6.

Open on days when a show takes place, in the hour before the show starts.

Gates and the buffets open 45 minutes before shows. Our buffets offer a wide variety of snacks and drinks.