The Annual Turkey Festival, sponsored by the Washington DC American-Turkish Association, is a family-friendly festival that celebrates authentic Turkish art and culture with a rich variety of live music and folk dance performances with Istanbul with a focus on connecting cultures. The Turkish Festival will also feature hands-on activities for children, art demonstrations, guest speakers, handicraft vendors, and Turkish cuisine.
Date and time: Sunday, September 24, 2017, 11 am – 7 pm
Location: Freedom Plaza, Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington DC, between 12th and 14th streets.
The closest tube station is Federal Triangle. The
parking is limited in this part of town. Public transportation is highly recommended. View a map
Highlights of the Turkish festival
- Turkish cuisine from local Washington DC restaurants: Skewers, vegetarian dishes, cakes and desserts will be available for purchase. Turkish coffee will be offered in the ever-popular Turkish coffee shop, and fortune-tellers will read fortunes from the coffee grind.
- A ‘Children’s Tent’ will provide an interactive introduction to Turkey with hands-on activities that will give children of all ages an afternoon full of educational fun and the opportunity to build and bring home their own artistic creations.
- The “Culture and Tourism Store” will organize exhibitions and demonstrations of Turkish arts such as calligraphy, marbling on paper, tile making, miniatures and carpet weaving. More than 20 handicraft vendors will display Turkish jewelry, hand-woven textiles and ceramics at the Turkish Bazaar.
In collaboration with the Textile Museum, the American-Turkish Association in Washington DC has designated September as “Turkish Cultural Heritage Month”, showcasing Turkey’s cultural history, authentic Turkish cuisine and fine arts with a full month of festivities.
Website: www.turkishfestival.org
About the American-Turkish Association (ATA) – Washington DC
ATA-DC is a non-profit organization whose main mission is to promote understanding between Turkish and non-Turkish communities through cultural, social and educational programs. ATA-DC is administered by a 20-member board of volunteers whose mission is to promote better understanding and foster friendship between the peoples of Turkey and the United States of America; raise the level of public awareness and understanding of Turkish culture and history in the community; and to help Turkish-Americans preserve their culture in the United States.
For more information, visit www.atadc.org.
Turkish Restaurant Week
Turkish Restaurant Week also takes place this month. Select restaurants will offer a 3-course lunch for $ 18 and a 4-course dinner for $ 30. Participating restaurants include:
- Ágora – 1527 17th Street NW Washington, DC (202) 332-6767
- Ankara – 1320 19th St NW Washington, DC (202) 293-6301
- Cafe Divan – 1834 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington, DC (202) 338-1747
- Ezme Restaurant & Wine Bar – 2016 P Street, NW Washington, DC (202) 223-4303
- Restaurante Istanbul Blue – The Village Green, 523 Maple Ave W, Viena, VA (703) 938-8949
- Yayla Bistro – 2201 N Westmoreland St, Arlington, VA (703) 533-5600
- Zaytinya – 701 9th Street NW, Washington, DC (202) 638-0800
