Folk Dance Festival Takes Over the Streets!

Bornova Municipality’s 4th Folk Dance Festival, held this year under the theme of “Halay”, continues with great enthusiasm. On the second day of the festival, which takes place from May 29 to June 1, a vibrant parade brought color and energy to the streets of Bornova.

Parade Brings Joy to the Streets

The parade began in Büyükpark and continued to Küçükpark Square, accompanied by a marching band and lined with cultural promotion stands from various associations. The teams, dressed in traditional costumes, performed mini shows at the square and invited the gathered crowd to join in the dance. The parade offered a visual and cultural feast, earning the admiration of onlookers.

A Cultural Feast at Ayfer Feray Open-Air Theater

After the parade, the groups walked along Suvari Street to reach the Ayfer Feray Open-Air Theater. Residents and passersby joined in the excitement with claps and cheers. Traditional folk dances from all corners of Anatolia were performed on stage. Every seat in the theater was filled, and the audience matched the dancers' energy with enthusiastic applause. The festival venue echoed with the sounds of davul and zurna throughout the night.

Saturday’s Program Heads to Çamdibi

On Saturday evening, the third day of the festival, folk dance performances will take place at Çamdibi Atatürk Park. The festival will conclude with a grand gala night on Sunday at the Aşık Veysel Recreation Area Open-Air Theater. The gala will feature a performance by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Folk Dance Ensemble as the guest group.

Global Rhythms Meet in Bornova

The festival, which has attracted strong interest from the people of Bornova, stands out for its international participation. Dance groups from Georgia, Russia, Poland, and Bulgaria are joined by folk dance associations from İzmir and Bornova. A total of 30 groups and 758 dancers performing folk dances from 9 different regions are filling Bornova with rhythm, culture, and dance.

Photo Captions:

• Dressed in traditional attire, the groups walking from Büyükpark to Küçükpark added vibrant color to the streets of Bornova.

• Citizens at Küçükpark joined in the folk dances, sharing in the festival spirit.

• At the Ayfer Feray Open-Air Theater, performances brought melodies from all across Anatolia to the stage.