Balassagyarmat (Hungarian: ; formerly Balassa-Gyarmath; ; or Balasské Darmoty) is a town in northern Hungary.

Balassagyarmat is the cultural center of the Palóc people of Hungary as the prominent author of Hungarian epic, Kálmán Mikszáth said. The Palóc people's origin is quite mysterious. Their distinctive dialect, culture, folklore, and traditions make them a