Türkiye Culture Route Festival

This eight-month-long festival brings together people of all ages through arts and culture. The 2026 route includes numerous cities, with specific dates for each leg: Nevşehir (Aug. 1-9), Malatya (Aug. 8-16), Erzurum (Aug. 15-23), Ordu (Aug. 22-30), Çanakkale (Aug. 29-Sept. 6), Kayseri (Sept. 5-13), Kahramanmaraş (Sept. 12-20), Ankara (Sept. 19-27), and Istanbul (Sept. 26-Oct. 4).

Each city stop offers a unique program. For example, the Erzurum leg is a nine-day celebration with concerts by popular artists, art exhibitions in historic madrasas, a children's village featuring digital experience areas, and a gastronomy route highlighting local cuisine like Cağ kebabı. In Ankara, the fifth edition of its Culture Route Festival features 518 events across 42 venues, including the "Ankara Resimleniyor" project which visually documents the capital's urban life and architectural heritage. The Çanakkale festival emphasizes Türkiye's ancient heritage, particularly its connection to the legend of Troy.

The festival's diverse programming in Istanbul, held over nine days, encompasses concerts, theater and ballet performances, workshops, and gastronomic events. The opening concert in Istanbul is performed by Britain's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Public concerts often take place at venues like Galataport’s Clock Tower Square. Beyond major performances, the festival provides educational workshops in traditional Turkish arts such as calligraphy, paper marbling (ebru), and carpet weaving. The initiative aims to make culture and art accessible, utilizing historical landmarks and public spaces across the country as vibrant venues.