Turkey is home to events and festivals. Most popular music festivals, nightlife events, sport and outdoors events, cultural festivals, national and religious festivals, lifestyle events, wonderful Turkish festivals and more. Keep up to date on what is happening in Turkey. A visit to Turkey at any time of the year can include a matchless experience of art, music, culture or folklore.
Ahirkapi Hidirellez Festival (Gypsy Festival): Discover uniquely Turkish festivals, from traditional Ahirkapi Hidrellez Festival. Turkey's uniquely festivals are absolutely wonderful. Turkish people love to celebrate and we have our own unique way of doing it, some events showcase our scenery. Join the traditioanal Ahirkapi Hidirellez Festival to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Polonez koy Kiraz Festivali (Polish Village Cherry Blossom Festival): Experience the Polonezkoy Cherry Festival to celebrate the culture and tradition of the Polish community living in Istanbul, Turkey.
Manisa Mesir Festivali (Manisa Power Gum Festival): Connect with people to celebrate the Manisa Mesir Festival, it is so funny to catch on mesir also known as power gum.
Konya Mevlana Festivali (Whirling Dervish Festival): Mevlana's thought, the great Sufic saint, is one of the world's greatest philosopher and the father of the Mevlevi sect. Mevlana Whirling Dervishes Festival, the music, dance, listening and spiritual experience fuse together during the dance of the Dervishes.
Yagli Gures Kirkpinar Festivali (Oil Wrestling Festival): The origins of Kirkpinar date back to the 14th century, when Ottoman raiders, bored and in need of diversion, began wrestling in a group of 40 men near modern-day Edirne. Two of the men wrestled through the night, and both died in the midst of the competition, neither having emerged victorious. Their bodies were buried by their comrades beneath a fig tree, and when people arrived at Edirne they noticeda crystal-clear water source around the tree that ran toward Kirkpinar Meadow. They hence named this place Kirkpinar (meaning “40 sources”) saying, “They were forty. They were the first to arrive at this side.”
Deve Guresi Festivali (Camel Wrestling Festival): While the Spanish have bullfights, and the Italians cockfights, and the English go hunting with hounds, the Turks have camel wrestling. Camel wrestling is now mostly restricted to the Aegean region though it was once more widespread in Anatolia. In the winter you will see elaborately saddled camels being paraded through the villages with the owner extolling just how his camel is going to make mince-meat of anyone rash enough to challenge his beast. The camels are all fully grown bulls specially fed to increase their bulk further, and the sight of them wrestling one another would seem to promise some spectacular action. In reality it doesn't happen and camel wrestling is more akin to comedy than to blood-sport. Bull camels normally wrestle and butt one another in a knock-out contest for precedence in a herd, and more importantly, precedence in mating. In the arena two bulls are led out and then a young cow is paraded around to get them excited. It's very easy to know when a bull is excited as streams of viscous milky saliva issue from his mouth and nostrils. Mostly the two bulls will half-heartedly butt each other and lean on the other until one of them gives in and runs away. This is the really exciting bit as the bull will often charge off towards the crowd, with the conquering bull in pursuit, and the spectators must scramble hurriedly out of the way. The antics of spectators trying to avoid a thousand kilograms (nearly a ton) of camel running towards them can lead to pure comedy and is the best part of camel wrestling. Miraculously there are few accidents. Occasionally two bulls will get down to it and actually try to wrestle one another, feinting in here and there, eventually locking a fore-leg inside the leg of the opposition and leaning on him to topple him over in a dromedary's version of a wrestling fall and pin. The sport is a declining one as the cost of keeping, feeding and training a camel solely for competition doesn't come cheaply, and only a rich man can afford to do it. Large bets are wagered by owners and spectators alike, though how you tell just which camel won can be difficult to determine. What happens when they both run away? - it happens. It's worth going once just to see and it's quite nice to know that there isn't a lot of blood and gore involved in the sport, it's really quite gentle.
Classical Music Events: If you want to listen to some of the most incredible classical music in the world and enjoy then you will want to attend the international classical music festivals in Turkey. Turkey is home to the world's most important classical music festivals and events. Plenty of classical music festivals are held in Turkey every year. Along with music festivals of local scale held in almost every city of the country, cultural events and other festivals of international reach are also organized in major metropolitan centers such as Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya and Ankara.
Lifestyle Events and Festivals: Lifestyle events, fairs and festivals in Turkey. Always stylish, lifestyle events in Turkey include fashion, music, food, drink and healthy markets. Lifestyle events in Turkey are a quirky mix. From international fairs to Turkish traditional festivals, Turkey hosts many events with global reach. Looking for new market trends or buying luxury products, unique and exclusive, the lifestyle Turkish events has it all. There are remarkable events stored for all ages and groups, leisure and business sectors. From home decor to fashion, sports to education, food to entertainment, lifestyle events in Turkey deliver an exceptional experience for the visitors.
Sport Events: Turkey hosts lots of sport events from international tennis matches, cycling tour and water sports to motor-racing events and Turkish Grand Prix. Connect to your sporting passion in Turkey, which hosts everything from international tennis matches, cycling tour and water sports to motor-racing events and Turkish Grand Prix. It is easy to go sports mad in Turkey, which hosts events for motor-race fans, tennis lovers and swimmers. Get a courtside view of the tennis greats at the Istanbul WTA Championschip or experience the excitement of the uniquely Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Championships. See the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey and smell the rubber at glamorous motor-racing events such as the Formula One Turkish Grand Prix.
Be part of thousands of Turkish and international athletes' spectacular excitement.
Outdoors Events: The white water of the Dalaman River thrills and excites rafters from all over the world. There are more than 12 rapids to choose from according to ability, and those without previous experience can opt for a guided tour. Turkey's Bosphorus Cross Continental is Istanbul's annual Asia-to-Europe swimming, rowing and sailing competition. Visitors can also enjoy water skiing and jet skiing shows.
Music Festivals: Lots of music festivals are held in Turkey every year, experience the all music festivals for jazz, dance, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin or electronic music. Turkey is a popular destination for the international music festivals and concerts. Turkey is a popular destination on the international touring calendar, with everything from blues music festivals to stadium rock concerts making their way here. Following is a guide to just some of the tempting shows you can see here in the coming year all year round. Also you will find plenty of music festivals and events in Turkey. Explore International European Jazz Festivals in Izmir or Turkey's biggest little open air music festival in Antalya is the perfect holiday destination in the Mediterranean of Turkey. Rock'n Coke Music Festival, Chill Out Summer Music Festival, Istanbul International Music Festival, Efes Pilsen Blues Festival in Istanbul and more. Experience the all music festivals for jazz, dance, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin or electronic music. Get your diary out and start planning the musicals and concerts you want to see while on holiday in Turkey.
Nightlife Events: How much fun do you want to have tonight? This is an easy question to answer in Turkey. You can have as much fun as you like every night and you would have it the way you like it.
When it comes to choices of entertainment, you can pretty much find every kind of atmosphere in Turkey. Turkey offers to visitors all kinds of nightlife events, from Turkish and international pop, to alternative rock, jazz, Latin and much more. Turkey has a great reputation concerning its popular nightlife events. During the summer season, Istanbul has some of the most active nightlife festivals and Antalya is considered to be one of the most nightlife oriented city of Turkey. Everyone can find his own style and enjoy the music he likes while having the time of his life.
Festivals for Kids and Families: Turkish people like to celebrate festivals with their own kids and family. You will find plenty of lovely festivals in Turkey for kids and families. Explore international and local events to be guest when you travel to Turkey. Come to Turkey and join us to celebrate Turkish festivals with your kids and family. Turkey's national day also known 23 April National Sovereignty and Children's Day is a unique event. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Ataturk, dedicated April 23 to the children of the country to emphasize that they are the future of the new nation. The importance of April 23 as a special day of children has been recognized by the international community. UNICEF decided to recognize this important day as the International Children's Day. Bursa International Folklore Festival revives old Turkish traditions through music and dance competitions. Folk groups from other countries add their own cultural elements, giving the event a multicultural flavour. Caretta Caretta is a festival celebrating Dalyan's sea turtles with singing and dancing through the town's streets. On the beach there are watersports contests and other fun competitions for kids and families. Bozburun is the home of the gulet, the small seafaring craft so popular with tourists. Production is concentrated in this small village, and the festival aims to demonstrate both the construction process itself and to market the gulet on an international level.
Cultural Festivals and Art Events: Turkey is one of the most important centre of international culture and art festivals and sponsored festivals in the world. Film and theatre festivals, ballet, book fairs and more. Turkey's culture and art activities is rich and varied. You will find the details about the cultural events in town from the links down below. Turkey is home to the world's most important culture and art festivals. Along with festivals of local scale held in almost every city of the country, cultural events and other festivals of international reach are also organized in major metropolitan centers such as Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir and Ankara. You will find plenty of ways to sate your culture cravings in Turkey, which has a flourishing love affair with the arts. Book tickets to watch excellent stage performance in our national theatre, ballet or opera house. Or discover international salsa and tango festivals to feel Latin enthusiasm in Turkey. Also you can explore your cinematic passions at our film festivals; the Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation organises the International Istanbul Film Festival every April, the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival is the most important national film festival in Turkey.
National Festivals: Turkey enthusiastically celebrates important national festivals evey year. 30th August Victory Festival, Rebublic Festival, Liberation Festival. The only traditional element in the official ceremonies of these festivals which are enthusiastically celebrated in cities and towns is the participation of seymens (heroes and dancers from central Anatolia) and zeybeks (the swashbuckling hero of southwestern Anatolian villages) in the celebrations with their special costumes. After the official ceremonies are over, however, in some places workers and artisans gather in the city or municipality hall and organize special entertainments until the late hours of the night, and these entertainments lend a special significance to the festivals. Drums and zurnas are played in these celebrations. Small towns in Anatolia have their own folk dances, but in big cities like Istanbul or Ankara these ceremonies turn into a festival of folk dancing. In many places on national holidays, wrestling matches or races are held after the official ceremonies. In recent years, political parties have organized many entertainments with music on national holidays in order to increase the excitement while competing with other parties. Thus, festival traditions are also subject to a process of change.