Magyar Szabadság Kör – Cultural-Culinary Experience in Plant City, FL

The Magyar Szabadság Kör is located in Plant City, FL. The Hungarian Liberty Club is a celebration of the cultural, culinary, spiritual, and political values that make the Magyar (Hungarian) people unique. Food, drink, prayer, anthems, music, dancing, and conversations abound. “Isten, áld meg a Magyart,” or “God, save the Magyars (Hungarians)” is a prayer many nations and ethnic groups share, as in “God Bless America.” Both are heard during the periodic (sometimes monthly, with breaks) gathering of dozens of souls who routinely share a Hungarian background. From a recent post on their Facebook page is this.

"Dear Guests! Dear Guests!
We can get together again after the summer, lunch will be in September!!! One more good news, Mr Hollósi can find time and cook again.
TALFI, our beloved musician is free too!
So:
We cordially invite you, your Family and Friends to the Hungarian Freedom Circle - Plant City Hungarian Club
SEPTEMBER LUNCH SEPTEMBER 8, 2024 at noon." The rest of the details are linked here.

Hospitality is a quality that several cultures share, and as the friends that we have brought to that gathering know from first-hand experience, the Magyars have that gift too.

According to Google’s AI powered Gemini on this date: “There are roughly 110,000 people of Hungarian ancestry in Florida. This is comparable to the Hungarian communities in Cleveland and New York. Florida has many Hungarian businesses and 12–14 active Hungarian organizations.”

The drive time from Plant City is Sarasota, FL is about 90 minutes. On October 19-20, 2024 is the 18th annual Hungarian Festival, held at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. Our family has gone to several of these events in Plant City and Sarasota. Each has been a tremendous experience. But then, perhaps I'm biased, because my parents were Magyars (Hungarians).

The Sarasota Fairgrounds website says this.

"Welcome Everybody on the Biggest Hungarian Festival In Florida!

Fun, Music, Dance, Hungarian cuisine

For a whole weekend!"

At the Magyar Szabadság Kör in Plant City, TOLFI is as likely to play and sing a song by Frank Sinatra as he is a Hungarian song. Steve Hollosi's langos "is to die for."

I've been to Magyar restaurants in Chicago and in Cleveland. Every stop, every meal, has been a pleasure.

It has been said that freedom isn’t free. Magyars understand that quite well. The following is a video clip from the documentary movie: “Torn from the Flag.”

While the movie is about a serious and somber subject, what may surprise many is that out of such a dark period in history that such joyful souls emerged. That's just a quick introduction of what the Magyar Szabadság Kör means to me and my family. We plan to attend this weekend. Dozens of others will be there too. ##

L. A. "Tony" Kovach, Winter Haven, FL.