OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS IN TÜRKİYE

Official Holidays
January 1: New Year's Day

National Holidays
April 23: National Sovereignty and Children's Day (Anniversary of the establishment of Turkish Grand National Assembly)
May 19: ATATÜRK Commemoration and Youth & Sports Day (Arrival of Ataturk in Samsun, and the beginning of the War of Independence.)
August 30: Victory Day (Victory over invading forces in 1922)
October 29: Republic Day (Anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic)

 

Religious Holidays
Şeker Bayramı: Three-day festival to celebrate the end of the fasting month; Ramadan.
Kurban Bayramı: Four-day festival when sacrificial sheep are slaughtered and their meat distributed to the poor.

(The dates of these religious festivals change because of the difference between the Muslim lunar calendar and solar calendar.)

January

Camel Wrestling Festival-Selcuk

March

Ankara International Film Festival-Ankara 1915 Sea Victory Celebration-Canakkale

April

Istanbul International Film Festival-Istanbul International Children's Day-Ankara (April 23) Tourism Fair-Gaziantep

April - May

Selcuk Efes Culture & Art Festival - Izmir (May 1-8) Tulip Festival-Istanbul Javelin Games-Erzurum Ankara International Arts Festival

May

International Nysa Culture and Arts Festival-Sultanhisar Efes International Festival of Culture and Tourism-Selcuk Yunus Emre Culture and Art Week-Eskisehir Aksu Culture and Art Festival-Giresun International Music and Folklore Festival-Silifke International Yatching Festival-Marmaris International Kilim Festival, Usak-Esme Kakava Festivities-Kirklareli

May - June

International Asia-Europe Biennial-Ankara

June

Rug and Rose Festival-Isparta (June 1-7) Pamukkale Festival (June 3-5) Amasya Ataturk Cultured Art Ceremony-Amasya (June 12-19) Wooden Horse Children's Festival - Çanakkale Traditional Mesir Ceremonies - Aksehir (June 20-23) Kirkpinar Wrestling - Edirne (2nd week of June) Bartin Strawberry Festival-Bartin International Tea Festival-Rize International Offshore Races Istanbul-Izmir Foca Music, Folklore and Watersports Festival-Foca Marmaris Festival-Marmaris Bergama Festival-Bergama Kafkasor Culture and Art Festival-Artvin International Kus Cenneti Culture and Tourism Festival-Bandirma Cesme Sea and Music Festival-Cesme International Pamukkale Song Competition International Kahta Komagene Festival International Volleyball Beach Tournament-Alanya Finike Festival International Wine Competition-Urgup Tekirdag Cherry Festival

June - July

International Izmir Festival International Bursa Festival Istanbul International Art and Culture Festival-Istanbul Traditional Kirkpinar Wrestling-Edirne International Music Festival-Istanbul Ihlara Tourism and Art Week-Aksaray

July

Hodja Nasreddin Ceremonies - Aksehir (July 5-10) Hadji Bektashi Veli Ceremonies - Hacibektas (July 13-18) Apricot Festival (July 20-22) International Erzurum Congress-Erzurum Tourism and Culture Festival-Iskenderun International Folk Dance Festival-Samsun Ceramic Festival-Kutahya Hittite Festival-Corum Manavgat Tourism Festival Kusadasi Tourism Festival Carpet and Rose Festival-Isparta Egridir Lake Festival Nevsehir Festival Devrek Baston and Culture Festival Avanos International Handcrafts and Pottery Exhibit

August

Troy Festival-Canakkale Insuyu Festival-Burdur Haci Bektas Veli Commemoration Ceremony-Sogut Mengen Chefs Festival-Bolu Pine Grove Ayder Mt. and Archery Festivities - Rize

September

Golden Apple, Silver & Bronze - Isparta (September 2-7) Golden Nut Ceremonies - Ordu (September 22-24) Izmir International Fair-Izmir Ertugurul Gazi Commemoration Ceremony-Sogut Seyh Edibali'i Commemoration and Culture Festival-Bilecik GAP Culture and art Festival-Gaziantep Javelin Games-Konya Kemer Carnival International Meerschaum (White Gold) Festival-Eskisehir Safranbolu Architectural Treasures and Folklore Week-Safranbolu Sivas Congress Culture and Art Week-Sivas International Grape Harvest Festival-Urgup International Fair-Mersin Yagci Bedir Carpet Festival-Sindirgi, Balikesir Culture and Art Festival-Diyarbakir Assos International Art Festival Adana Altin Koza Film Festival

Sept - October

Eskisehir International Festival Golden Pistachio Festival-Gaziantep International Plastic Arts Festival International Akdeniz Song Contest-Akdeniz Mersin art and Culture Festival

October

Golden Orange Festival - Antalya (October 13) Ahi Brotherhood Cultural Week International Bodrum Cup International Gullet Biennial-Bozburun International Triathlon Competition-Alanya International Ataturk Dam Sailing Competition-Alanya

November

International Yacht Race-Marmaris December Santa Clause Festival - Kas/Demre (December 24) Pine Nut Festival - Gaziantep (December 25) Mevlana Commemoration Ceremony-Konya