Holidays

Holidays in Turkey

Turkey celebrates high Islamic festivals such as the Feast of Sacrifice and Eid at the end of Ramadan in its own unique way. There are also several national holidays commemorating historical events such as the victory in the Turkish War of Liberation and the proclamation of the Republic by Atatürk in 1923, which are celebrated with military parades and torchlight processions. The traditional spring festival Nevruz is considered Turkey’s oldest secular holiday.

Overview

New Year’s Day -1 January

Nevruz (Spring Festival) – March 21

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day -April 23

Labor and Solidarity Day -1 May

Holiday of Youth, Sports and the Memory of Atatürk -19 May

Victory Day -August 30

Sugar Festival (Festival of Breaking the Fast) – July/August/September

Republic Day – October 29

Sacrifice Festival – September/October/November

Worth knowing about selected holidays

Nevruz

Just before the official start of spring, traditional Wednesday bonfires burn everywhere in Turkey as well. They are part of the spring festival Nevruz, which is celebrated throughout Central Asia, as a fixed ritual. Jumping over the fire symbolizes a new beginning. The day of the equinox on March 21 has been considered the beginning of the new year by the people of the region for thousands of years. The New Year or spring festival of Nevruz is still celebrated today with traditional dances and music.

Sugar Festival

The Eid is the Turkish version of the celebrations marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Thirty days of abstinence are followed by three days of extensive celebration. During this time, relatives and friends visit each other, good food is cooked and eaten. Sweets play, if it should surprise, with the sugar celebration a completely important role. Besides various sweets, Turkish honey and baklava are among the traditional gifts. Especially the children are given a lot of sweets, even if they go from house to house and wish the neighbours a happy Eid.

Sacrifice Festival

The Feast of Sacrifice, the most important religious holiday for Muslims, is celebrated in a rather devotional manner. Like Eid, it begins on the first morning with a prayer in the mosque. The tradition of the four-day festival, which commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah, includes the slaughter of a sacrificial animal.

In Turkey, a sheep is usually slaughtered and cut into three parts. One-third remains in the house, one-third is distributed to friends and neighbors, and one-third is donated to the needy. Also during the Feast of Sacrifice, families and friends visit each other, entertain and give each other small gifts.