It is basically considered as a home to a various holidays and festivals, several of which have been disclosed to help the country develop a more modern image. Festivals in Turkey including all kinds – music festivals, sport & outdoors events, nightlife events, cultural festivals, religious festivals & lifestyle events. Apart from local festivals celebrated in almost every city of the country, there are many other significant festivals that are popular internationally and are held in major city centers such as Ankara, Turki, Antalya and Zmir.

Hidirellez is an annual holiday that takes place in early May to celebrate the arrival of spring and plant seeds of hope for abundant harvests. The origins of the festival date back thousands of years, and while the essence of the festival is shared throughout the country, each region has their own traditions. Expect to listen to top-tapping folk music, see the hair-raising fire-jumping ritual and watch dancers twirl around in traditional costumes. Traditional food eaten during Hidirellez includes seasonal vegetable and lamb dishes.

The Whirling Dervishes Festival is an important religious and cultural event that is held in Konya, Turkey, each year. The exact date of the celebration is based on the Islamic religious calendar, and as such, varies from year to year

The festival celebrates the thoughts and recitations of the great Sufic saint and the 13th-century Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi. He was one of the world’s greatest philosopher and the father of the Mevlevi sect. The music, dance, listening and spiritual experience come together to enchant you during the dance of the Dervishes.

The dervishes ascetic Muslim monks perform the traditional harmonious dance with melodious music which creates an aura that spellbound the spectators

The Mesir Paste Festival is a centuries-old tradition that takes place in spring to commemorate the recovery of Hafsa Sultan (wife of Selim I) who, legend has it, was cured of a disease with mesir paste. This sweet, medicinal paste is made with 41 herbs and spices including black cumin, anise, dried orange blossom and cardamom. Three tonnes of mesir paste are wrapped in little papers and scattered among the crowds standing below the Sultan Mosque. Catching one is believed to answer your prayers and bring good luck. The festival also features traditional music and theatre performances.

This 600-year-old Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival takes place in Edirne, Turkey. The tournament is open to men from all cultures, regions and ages without discrimination between religion, language or race.

Interesting Tradition to Witness: Pehlivans are the participants. The patron launches the festival in the Kirkpinar Aga. This is an amazing ceremony where forty bands of drums and shawms join in to create the captivating atmosphere. Thereafter, the golden belt is carried through the city in a procession, followed by prayers recited in the Selimiye Mosque