Festivals and holidays in Turkey

As in other Islamic countries, the most important religious holiday of the country is Ramadan (Turks utter his name as Ramazan). During the period of the sacred month of Muslims, abstain from meals, tobacco and sexual relations during the day. Ramadan’s period is not a weekend, life continues in its normal course, but most restaurants and other entertainment facilities are closed the whole day. On the last day of Ramadan (Arife) there is a tradition to attend cemeteries and testify to the ancestors; Many provincial institutions during this period are closed, including in the evening. But the end of the holy month is the holiday of Ramazan-Bayram (Ramazan Bayram) or Shekeker Bayram (Seker Bayram, "Sweet holiday") – celebrate noisy and colorfully, accompanying it with numerous ceremonies, massive prayers in mosques, cultural events, street performances, the manufacture of a huge number of all sorts of sweets and special festive dishes, visits to visit and crushing gifts.

Immediately for the holiday of the Correction (in 2009 – November 28) the four-day begins Kurban-Bayram (Kurban Bayram), or Al-hell, – Muslim celebration of the end of Hajj and Sacrifice, during which sacrificial sheeps are cut, and their meat is distributed to poor, neighbors and friends. All sorts of holiday events in this period literally go a series, banks, museums and government agencies closed, transport almost all or worth it or ordered for various events, so traveling around the country becomes almost impossible. However, restaurants, shops and shops are open, so few people are experiencing inconvenience.

Cultural festivals

In mid-April, in Istanbul traditionally passes Istanbul International Film Festival. Behind him follows International Theater Festival (may and International Music Festival (June July). Also in the city passes the famous two-week Istanbul Jazz Festival (July) and as popular International Biennale (every two years, September-November), as exhibition sites for which the best samples of architecture and historical monuments of the city are used – palaces, churches, mosques and even airport and train stations.

Tourists can be interesting May Festival, Developed to celebrate the Capture Dates of Istanbul Osmans (May 29, 1453.), with his concerts of military orchestras, costume processions and fireworks. Immediately after it is held International Festival of Puppets Theaters – Turkish theater of shadows, or "Karagz", is one of the most important elements of folk culture. In junsky International Bosphor Festival Dozens of musical and dance performances are involved. In July-August, night summer concerts are held in the fortress Rumel Hisar, the range of the presented teams is very wide – from the opera pipes to the rock bands. Popular Music Festival Pepsi electronic fesr, held in September in Belgrade Forest to the north-west of the city. Weekly Istanbul Art Fair (September) – these are numerous exhibitions and sales of Turkish and foreign artists in approximately fifty city galleries. Good music can be heard at a two-week international Jazz Festival Akbank (October) and a two-day Blues Festival Efes Pilsen Blues (takes place every two years on the best platforms of the city and the surrounding area). Almost year-round is the art festival Yapi-crediting, which presents all directions in music.

In Ankara in April-May is held International Music Festival, during which the colossal "Music Tusovka" Under the auspices of the Polyphonic Choruses Association. August – month of the International Festival of Female Cinema "Flying Metla".

Izmir International Festival It takes place in June-July and includes many interesting events in its framework, including the opera performances in the theater of Ephesus and the castle Aspensos, the ballet festival (usually 10 views from mid-June to July) and other events.

Also deserve attention Festival Ephesus (Second or third week of May), International Music Festival Anatolia (May) – one of the best sites of the country for the performance of symphony orchestras, Music festival Pamukkale (end of June), Festival Bursa (three weeks in July), Bodrum festival (beginning of September) and popular film festival "Atlyn-portacle" ("Golden Orange", September end – beginning of October) in Antalya.

Folk festivals

Local festivals deserve attention Camel fights In Selgchuk (mid-January) and numerous local analogues across the entire region of Aydin (December-January) and in Kumluja (end of January). Also interesting are traditional People’s Fight Competitions "Güresh" (Yagli Gures) near Edirne (beginning or middle of June), bullfight Within the framework of the festival, Kafcasor in Artvina (end of June), Festival archers in rize (September) and Hitt Festival In Corume (August).

Very popular Folk Tradition Festival Mesir In Manisa (April), Cultural Festival Yunus Emre (Eskisehir, May), INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL YAHTINGA In Marmaris (June), Cultural Festival Ataturk (Amaasya, June), Music and Sea Festival In Cesme (June-July), Festival Khoji Nasreddin In Akscheir (July), Trojan Festival in Chanakkale (September) as well Kemerian carnival (September October).

However, one of the most colorful and unusual holidays of the country is the festival Mevlana, or Mevliana (Dervysh festival) in Konia (December 10-17), in popularity with which an ancient can compare Festivals of religious fraternities in Hadjibektasha (Il Nevsehir, Cappadocia, the second half of August) and Holiday in honor of Abdal Musa in the tek (antalya, beginning of June).

People’s dance festivals of Turkey can safely be considered one of the most ancient and most well-preserved traditions of this kind in the region. They usually attract the best professional and amateur groups of the country, performing a huge number of different Turkish dances, and necessarily – in traditional costumes and under the accompaniment of the folk tools. The best events of this kind are Popular holidays in Silifka (May), the Foca (Izmir, June) and Samsuna (July), although the Gypsy Gypsy Festival of Music and Dance in Thrace (End of Spring – Start Summer), Spring Festival Edirne and Takawa Festival In Ile Kyrklareli (both are also coming at the beginning of the summer).

It is believed that numerous agricultural festivals and Turkey fairs are interesting only to local residents themselves, which is not true. These holidays played and play an important role in the Turkish rural life, and therefore were always considered peculiar folk exhibitions, which were also brought to the best products, and the best costumes and, accordingly, all sorts were held "Cultural Competitions" between residents of neighboring regions. As a result, they were left not only by fertility festivals, but also a kind of storage of folk traditions. Within Watermelus festival In Diyarbakira (mid-end of September), for example, you can not only see the competition for the title of the most fetus area, but also guests from all nearby countries – Syria, Iran and Iraq, bring their flavor on the holiday. Grape festival In Urgüpe (Nevsehir, mid-September), it is considered the best exhibition of articles of decorative and applied crafts in Cappadocia (in its framework it passes, for example, the largest in the country Festival of clay dishes In Avanos), and the main wine holiday of the country. And passing within one of such festivals Competition MenGens Chifs in Bola (August) is a contest of the best cooks of the country. A Strawberry festival In the Black Sea Town Bartn (June), Wine exhibition in Jurgup (July and October), Festival of roses and carpets In Avparta (August), Tea Festival in rize (June) and holiday "Golden pistachio" In Gaziantepe (December) they are considered one of the best exhibitions of this kind in the world.