International Urla Artichoke Festival
Held every May to promote the miraculous Urla Sakız Artichoke, the International Urla Artichoke Festival lasts for three days and welcomes thousands of visitors from across Turkey and around the world. The festival features tasting events, culinary workshops, food talks, exhibitions, and live music performances. As part of the World Gourmet Cities Network, the festival transforms Urla into a playground for world-renowned chefs to cook and share their creations.
Urla Grape Harvest Festival
Known as “the day when oil falls on olives and honey on grapes,” this traditional festival has been organized for over 20 years in collaboration with Urla Municipality and the Chamber of Agriculture under the name “Grape Harvest Festival.” Held every August at Malgaca Market, the festival showcases grapes carefully cultivated throughout the year, accompanied by drums and zurna music. The event begins with folk dances on the main stage, continues with grape pressing, and awards are given to the best grape producers in competitions.
Barbaros Oyuk Festival
Started in 2016 with support from İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Urla Municipality, and the Western Urla Villages Association, the Barbaros Oyuk Festival is one of the must-see events in Urla. Held every August for three days, the festival is famous for its scarecrows, which give the village a picturesque appearance. The festival includes contests for the best scarecrow, courtyard, and local cuisine.
Mart Dokuzu Urla Herb Festival
Held every March since 2013, this festival attracts nature enthusiasts and fans of Mediterranean cuisine. Visitors can explore stalls featuring various edible herbs from Urla, participate in workshops teaching how to harvest and cook local herbs, and enjoy music performances, talks, and souvenir exhibitions.
Alaçatı Herb Festival
Showcasing herbs from the Aegean region to Turkey and the world, the Alaçatı Herb Festival features colorful stalls where visitors can learn about different local herbs. Activities include herb identification and gathering trips, cooking workshops, seminars on wild herbs and plants, and concerts. Esteemed academics and chefs give talks and workshops, and the festival’s parade draws hundreds of participants, creating a vibrant scene.
Çeşme Festival
Çeşme Festival includes concerts, dance performances, workshops, and culinary events. Activities take place across Alaçatı, Ilıca, Ildırı, Çiftlikköy, Reisdere neighborhoods, and Cumhuriyet Square, culminating in large evening concerts. The festival began in 1982 as the Çeşme Sea Festival, became the Çeşme International Song Contest in 1984, and was revived in 2019 after a 25-year hiatus.
Izmir International Fair
Known as IEF, the İzmir International Fair is Turkey’s oldest, most renowned, and comprehensive fair, held annually in August and September. The event is often aligned with İzmir’s Liberation Day on September 9 and takes place at Kültürpark.
Karaburun Narcissus Festival
Every December and January, Karaburun celebrates the fragrant narcissus flower, one of the peninsula’s signature products, aiming to promote it worldwide. The January festival showcases the region’s rich plant life, historic ruins, legendary gardens, and includes concerts, creating a delightful festival atmosphere.
