Szentendre is a beautiful old village 20 kilometers north of Budapest. The town’s mayor talked to reporters about the festival on Thursday. The idea of the “Szentendre Open Day and Night” festival taking place for the first time on August 25-28, is aimed at reviving the town’s once thriving artistic life and luring visitors to stay longer than just a few hours during the day, Ferenc Dietz said. During the festival plain-air painters plan to hold court on street corners, while singers from France and the Philippines will perform in outdoor settings and several Hungarian contemporary writers will read from works inspired by the town. Several local museums, galleries and art centers will remain open until after midnight and artists living in the town will display their work in street exhibitions, the mayor said. Late night transportation between Szentendre and Budapest will be available through a suburban rail line, Danube boats, and buses. (MTI)