Türkiye Culture Route Festival Begins in Izmir
As the 24th stop of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, Izmir and Cesme will host concerts, exhibitions, and gastronomy events between October 24 and November 1, 2026.
Various art, culture, gastronomy, and music events will be held in Izmir and Cesme, the 24th stop of the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, between October 24 and November 1, 2026.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that with the Izmir Culture Route Festival, they aim to increase the international visibility of the city's history, lifestyle, traditions, and culinary heritage. Throughout the festival, Demet Akalın, Derya Uluğ, Sefo, Özcan Deniz, Hakan Altun, Ceza, Murat Boz, Serkan Kaya, and Simge will give concerts at Gündoğdu Square. In the gastronomy program, Michelin-starred chefs and experts will bring Izmir's local flavors together with participants.
In the Cesme district, exhibitions, archaeological talks, workshops, and children's programs will be organized at venues such as Cesme Castle, Alaçatı, Hagios Haralambos Church, the City Archives and Museum, and the ancient city of Erythrai (Ildır). Events centering around Cesme Castle will include Ali Rıza İşipek’s "Homer and Troy" exhibition, a wood carving art exhibition, painting exhibitions by Reyhan Abacıoğlu and Dilşad Atasoy, a concert by Grup AŞK and Hande De Souza, a sculpture-making event accompanied by Ümit Süldür, and an open-air cinema screening of "Ballet Village" on October 31.