The first Anna Ball was organized on 26 July 1825, to the honour of the daughter of Szentgyörgyi-Horváth family, Anna-Krisztina. It was at her first ball that Anna Krisztina was introduced to her husband to be, Ernő Kiss, lieutenant general of the 1848 war of independence and one of the martyrs of Arad who were executed in 1949.
Following the first event, later balls - organized on the week-end nearest to St Anne’s Fête-day (26 July) - became one of the most exclusive and elegant balls in the country were illustrious artists, writers, politicians and other celebrities of the age met in Summer. Mór Jókai, Lujza Blaha and Mihály Vörösmarty were often among the celebrated invitees.
Nowadays the beauty contest is a highlight of the prominent event. On the day following the ball the beauty queen and her maids of honour ride along the streets of Balatonfüred in a horse drawn carriage in the company of the mayor of town.
The Louis XVI style building housing the ball and standing in the town center was built in 1798 by the Szentgyörgyi Horváth family. It was not only the centre of the society life at the time, but also a kind of intellectual creative workshop, where the great personalities of the “Reform Age” flourishing during the late XIXth Century have met from time to time. Among the guests were Lajos Kossuth, István Széchenyi and Miklós Wesselényi as well.
Jenő Huszka, the famous composer was also inspired by the special atmosphere of the Anna Balls. His last composition was the Anna Ball waltz, which was performed for the first time in 1962 as the opening dance along wiht the traditional Palotás. Since 1975, the year of the 150th Anna Ball folk art has also been represented at the event: each year a different Hungarian region was introduced. In 1976 the town of Kalocsa, in 1977 Hódmezővásárhely, in 1980 Karcag was the guest of Balatonfüred.
Other events related to the ball
Among the events related to the ball, the so called ‘Heart fishing’ - after the novel of Gyula Krúdy - is a charming one. It is ‘matching game’ which takes place on the day preceding the ball, whereby participants aboard a ship nicely decorated with Chinese lanterns have to fish wooden hearts thrown into the water, and - according to the legend -the name carved into the heart caught by the fishing maids will indicate the name of her pair at next day’s ball.
In the morning of the day following the ball, the beauty queen and her maids of honour present themselves on a stage installed near to the quay, then the trio rides along the streets of Balatonfüred in a horse drawn carriage in the company of the mayor of town. In the meantime, various programmes, classical concerts, dance shows take place on the stage (Móló színpad). Evening programmes start with the local brass band playing at Gyógy tér (Kossuth Lajos Spring) and continue with a terrific street party.
More information: www.annabal.hu;
http://www.annagrandhotel.hu/en/anna-ball-2010.html
