Events in Istanbul

Editor Istanbul

Apr 05 1225 read

Events in Istanbul

Istanbul's annual schedule is jam-packed with wonderful festivals and entertainment that cater to all tastes. Our guide will help you learn about and participate in Istanbul's most famous festivals and activities in ıstanbul, including what they have to bring, venues, festival programs, and more!

Aside from the winter, city hosts a bunch of art festivals and music concerts in Istanbul, providing tourists with a diverse range of entertainment options. This article is not meant to be a complete compilation of all Istanbul festivals and activities. Rather, I'll focus on the most important or well-known activities that you do not forget.

Istanbul Tulip Festival

The Ottoman Empire and Turkish civilization owe a great deal to tulips. This annual festival takes place in the city's most popular parks, including Gulhane Park in Sirkeci, Sultanahmet Square in Sultanahmet, Yildiz Park in Besiktas, Emirgan Park in Emirgan, Fethi Pasa Grove and Camlica Hill in Uskudar, Cubuklu Hidiv Grove in Cubuklu, and Beykoz Park in Beykoz on the European side Istanbul, and Fethi Pasa Grove.

This is a free festival where tourists can enjoy billions of tulips in 120 different varieties that bloom in April, as well as a variety of cultural and artistic events in Emirgan Park and Sultanahmet Square. There's also a picture gallery.

International Puppet Festival

This now-nearly-forgotten Ottoman art form was once very popular. This is a fantastic opportunity to see puppet, marionette, and shadow theatre. The majority of the plays are quiet, making them appropriate for both children and adults. (2nd week of May, various small venues in the city)

Akbank Jazz Festival

The Akbank Jazz Festival, hosted by Akbank Sanat Art Venue (a prestigious Turkish bank), is a ten-day music festival. You will see some popular and fine jazz musicians from all over the world in the capital, at many great venues with low prices, at this top music festival in Istanbul in October, as well as in Turkey. Panels, seminars, and documentaries are among the other highlights.

As a member of the European Jazz Network, the Akbank Jazz Festival has taken on a significant role as an attraction that caters not just to jazz fans, but also to fans of other genres. The Festival is held in a variety of beautiful locations, including Akbank Sanat and Hagia Irene Museum.

Istanbul Theatre Festival

Every two years, IKSV organizes the Istanbul International Theater Festival, which lasts two weeks. Art and theater lovers will enjoy remarkable local and international performances and theatre activities, many side events, dance and music events, and some free workshops at various venues in the Beyoglu, Besiktas, Fatih, Uskudar, and Kadikoy districts during Istanbul's leading art festival in November.

Istanbul Biennal

Since 1987, the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts has hosted the Istanbul Biennial. The biennial's aim is to bring together artists from all walks of life, as well as the general public, in the field of visual art in Istanbul. Through putting together new developments in contemporary art every two years, the fifteen biennials in Istanbul that have been arranged to date have encouraged the creation of an international cultural network between local and international art circles, painters, curators, and art critics.

Along with Venice, So Paolo, and Sydney, the Istanbul Biennial is considered one of the most prestigious biennials. Rather than relying on national representation, the Istanbul Biennial employs an exhibition model that allows artists and the general public to engage with their work. An international advisory board chooses the curator, resulting in a structure led by a diverse community of artists. The exhibition is open to all qualified artists and projects from around the world. Thanks to these biennales, art in Istanbul is growing at a faster rate than ever before. When you visit Istanbul, see what this biennal has to do! And in odd-numbered years does this biennal take place.