Türkiye’s Culture Route Festival will take over Diyarbakir from Oct. 10 to 18, bringing nine days of free concerts, gastronomy experiences, theater performances, exhibitions and cultural activities to the city’s historic landmarks and public spaces.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festival will return to Diyarbakir for the fifth time, with events spread across the city’s historic walled center, the Ickale Museum Complex, cultural centers and other venues.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the program would bring together the city’s centuries-old cultural heritage and contemporary artistic activities while helping local traditions, producers and culinary specialties reach wider audiences.
Ersoy emphasized that Diyarbakir continues to preserve and pass down its thousands of years of cultural heritage, adding that the festival also aims to strengthen the city’s cultural tourism potential.
Diyarbakir’s culinary traditions take center stage
Gastronomy will make up a major part of this year’s festival, with more than 40 designated food stops offering visitors a chance to explore Diyarbakir’s regional cuisine, including traditional dishes, kebabs, desserts and locally produced specialties.
The culinary program, hosted by restaurateur Gamze Cizreli, will bring together chefs and food writers, including Michelin Guide-recognized chefs Omur Akkor and Ersan Yilmaz, alongside Mahir Nazlican, Cigdem Seferoglu, Burcu Onal, Gokhan Ali Camkerten and Emre Murat.
Food culture researcher and author Silva Ozyerli, gastronomy writers Ebru Erke and Muge Akgun, and Emine Tunadan will also take part in the program.
Beyond tasting sessions, visitors will have opportunities to learn about traditional cooking practices and hear from culinary professionals about the city’s food heritage.
Free concerts and cultural performances
Nevruz Park will host free concerts throughout the festival, with performances by Hakan Altun, Mert Demir, Sefo, Sagopa Kajmer, Poizi, Derya Ulug, Bengu, Murat Boz and Fatma Turgut.
The program will also bring theatrical productions and musicals to several venues, including Kayapinar Cultural Center, the Orhan Asena Stage of Diyarbakir State Theater and Cahit Sitki Taranci Cultural Center.
Among the scheduled productions are “Yalancinin Mumu,” “Istanbul’un Son Beyzadeleri,” “Oteki Ankara Muzikali,” “Ibis’in Ruyasi” and “Askin Sen Hali,” alongside performances aimed at younger audiences.
The Diyarbakir State Classical Turkish Music and Civilizations Choir will present its “Anadolu’dan Miras” (Heritage from Anatolia) concert, while the Seventh Corps Regional Military Band will also perform at Cahit Sitki Taranci Cultural Center.
Historic landmarks become exhibition venues
The city’s historical and architectural heritage will feature in FotoMaraton Diyarbakir and FotoMaraton Children, photography events inviting participants to capture the city’s cultural character.
At Diyarbakir Archaeology Museum, visitors will be able to attend exhibitions, workshops and a discussion dedicated to traditional Islamic calligraphy, known as husn-i hat, and renowned calligrapher Hamid Aytac.
Families will find activities at the Children’s Village in Yenikapi Hancepek Square, including Karaoke Caravan, traditional sports activities under the EthnoSport program, the Aselsan Children’s Festival and a visiting pony club.
Numerous additional exhibitions will also be presented throughout the nine-day festival.
Diyarbakir remembers poet Cahit Sitki Taranci
The festival will commemorate the 70th death anniversary of Cahit Sitki Taranci, one of Diyarbakir’s prominent literary figures.
His former residence, now the Cahit Sitki Taranci House Ethnography Museum, will host a performance titled “Gun Eksilmesin Penceremden” as part of the commemorative program.
Ersoy said the festival’s broader purpose extends beyond staging cultural events to supporting living traditions and passing them on to younger generations, while introducing visitors to the city’s distinctive identity.
October 08, 2026 06:02 AM GMT+03:00
