Day of the Szeged Slippers will be held for the 5th time
The Day of the Szeged Slippers — also referred to as Szeged Mule Slides — will take place on Saturday, June 10, 2023, for the fifth time with a guided tour and slipper fair, among other programs. The event is organized by the Foundation for the Szeged Mule Slides to raise awareness of this special footwear.
The traditional Szeged slippers, called szegedi papucs in Hungarian, came in vivid colors and were made and embroidered entirely by hand. Originally they didn't come in pairs, meaning there was no right-foot or left-foot version. Although these mules are worn by folk dancers and a handful of fans these days, the tradition of the Szeged slipper-making is still carried on by a few handicraft artists, including Tibor and Zsuzsa Sallay.
On Saturday morning, ethnographer and chief museologist Ildikó Bárkányi will give an exclusive guided tour of the chamber exhibition "In Szeged, even Virgin Mary walks in Slippers", which opened in the spring in the visitor center of the Votive Church. The exhibition features a selection from the foundation's rich slipper collection, with accompanying photos and films showing the process of creation based on the testimonies of old and modern masters. The title of the exhibition refers to the fact that the Virgin Mary is pictured above the Votive Church's sanctuary wearing red Szeged slippers, which proves the former popularity of this footwear.
In the afternoon, programs continue at the Albert Szent-Györgyi Agóra. Visitors can enjoy the performances of various folk dance groups — a total of 140 children —, watch a documentary about the history of the slipper maker Bárkányi family, and even meet the third-generation Szeged slipper maker István Bárkányi. Younger visitors can design slippers while adults and bigger children can even try embroidery at one of the slipper-related workshops. There's a slipper exhibition at Agóra too, where traditional and new pieces, including the work of designer Zita Attalai, can be found.
The afternoon at Agóra features a slipper fair, where master slipper makers from Hungary and Vojvodina will offer traditional handmade slippers for sale and take personalized orders.
Further info on Facebook
Attendance is free. Note that the language of the event is Hungarian.
Featured image via Votive Church Visitor Center on Facebook
