The Várlak Festival is a major Hungarian cultural event in Slovakia, rooted in Palóc heritage, a traditional Hungarian ethnographic culture of southern Slovakia and northern Hungary.
Held each summer beneath Fiľakovo Castle, it grew from a small 2016 concert into a five-day festival attracting over 14,000 visitors.
photo by Zoltán Schnelczer
The visual identity for the Várlak Festival's 10th anniversary in 2025 was designed to highlight the castle's distinctive features and incorporate the milestone number, reflecting the festival's cultural roots and unique setting.
photo by Zoltán Schnelczer
photo by Zoltán Schnelczer
photo by Mátyás Csáky
photo by Zoltán Schnelczer
The festival included several events running alongside each other, such as folk performances and a family picnic.
Designing the visual identity required creating a system that allowed each event to feel distinct while maintaining a cohesive overall look that tied everything together.
The visual identity was designed to work across print and social media, using colors, shapes, and icons to convey the festival's lively, family-friendly atmosphere and guide visitors through the events.
photo by Zoltán Schnelczer