In Iskele, a Festival with Half a Century of History Starts for the First Time in Five Years

Today marks the beginning of the 52nd traditional festival in Iskele, Northern Cyprus. This celebration, with over half a century of history, is considered the most significant festival on the island.

The tradition of holding the festival was interrupted for five years—first due to the pandemic and then because of the earthquake in the Turkish Republic, which claimed thousands of lives.

This year, the traditional Iskele festival returns after a five-year hiatus. The festivities will kick off on June 28 at Ecevit Square and will continue for 10 days until July 7.

Representatives from eight countries will participate in this year's events. Festival-goers can look forward to the 27th International Folk Dance Festival, Larnaca Night, Black Sea Night, Pier Rally, Benon Dervishes Cycling Competition, a junior tennis tournament at Astroturf, as well as chess, darts, archery, backgammon, fishing, and diving championships. Additionally, there will be contests featuring Cypriot cuisine, a basketball festival, and a traditional Cypriot-Turkish evening.

The festival's opening on June 28 will feature the veteran artist Edip Akbayram. On Saturday, June 29, the Otantik group will perform, followed by Mert Demir on Wednesday, July 3, Yahya and Ibrahim Kurshiniler on Thursday, July 4, Selcuk Balci on Friday, July 5, and Simge Sagin on Sunday, July 7. Entrance to all concerts will be free.