Bodrum, Turkey » Entertainment » Festivals

Religious festivals are celebrated as per the Muslim Lunar calendar. The biggest festival is the Ramazan or Ramadan that is generally marked with a month of fasting and ends with three days of feasting called as the Seker Bayram (Candy Festival). Then comes the Kurban Bayram (Sacrifice Festival) marked by visiting family and close friends.

30th August Victory Festival, the Republic Festival, the Liberation Festival and much more lies on the list of the National Festival of Bodrum. These festivals are generally marked by the participation of zeybeks and seymens along with their special costumes. There is an official ceremony which is then followed by folk dances, zumas and drums.

There are a lot of seasonal festivals celebrated according to the change in the seasons. Though Hidirellez and Nevruz are celebrated at the same time, there are some that differ by the conditions of the climate in the city. In some parts, the rise in number of rams is celebrated in the beginning of Autumn in the other it is celebrated at the end of autumn. Hidirellez, Betnem, Crocus and Nevruz are celebrated in Spring, Solstice is celebrated in the Summer and New Year during half of winter. Apart from these there are some special festivals like the Migration festival, Fruit grower and Grape grower, Crop grower, Seedling festival, Multiplication of the ram or sheep and Chain of Shepherd Festival celebrated as per its season.

Kurban Bayrami is celebrated in the honor of Abraham’s sacrifice for his son Isaac. It is a four day festival generally celebrated in January. On the first day, the sheep is killed, skinned and butchered for a feast after the morning prayers. A portion of meat is given to the poor and the skin is given to the charity organizations. The other days are spent by visiting family members and close friends.

Celebrated in May, the Bicycle festival is organized by the Bodrum Nature Sports Club. Neyzen Tevfik Street is the starting point and after cycling through almost every bicycle trail, it ends up at the Quay centre. During the festival, there are other activities, dance shows, live music performances through out the day.

Every October, the event attracts wooden sailing yachts from all over the world. The professionals as well as amateurs can join this race. This competition is becoming more and more popular day by day!!

Seker Bayram (Candy Festival) indicates the end of Ramadan or Ramzan. Celebrated in October, Seker Bayam is a festival of feasting and eating sweets along with visiting the older members of the family.