Bodrum Events, Things to Do and Festivals

(Bodrum, Mugla, Turkey)

Although Bodrum doesn't have the grand festivals that are generally seen in Ankara or Istanbul, it does have one or two notable events of its own. The Muslim events of Ramadan and Eid ul-Adha are the most revered in Bodrum, for fasting and feasting respectively.

Leading events that tourists can get in on in Bodrum are New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the somewhat gruesome Kurban Bayrami in February, and the fun Bicycle Festival in May. Popular nearby things to do include the Traditional Mesir Festival in Manisa each April, and the Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival in Antalya in June.

Bodrum Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• New Year's Day - January 1st, this is a very noteworthy day for tourists in Bodrum and is celebrated with as much verve as it is elsewhere in the Western world

February

• Kurban Bayrami - also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, this four-day event each February honours the sacrifice of Abraham for Isaac, with the killing of a sheep and subsequent feasting

March

• There are no significant annual events taking place in Bodrum during the month of March

April

• Traditional Mesir Festival - this popular annual celebration, known locally as 'Power Gum', is held in nearby Manisa every April and features a collection of herbs and spices to cure all ailments

May

• Bodrum Bicycle Festival - mid-May, with the aim of cleaning up the town by encouraging drivers to take to two wheels. The Bodrum Bicycle Festival begins at Neyzen Tevfik Street, traverses several bike trails and finishes at Quay Centre. Acrobats, live music performances and dance shows bolster the event
• Diving Festival - mid-May, run by the Bodrum Underwater Society and featuring various demonstrations and also exhibitions of historic dive equipment

June

• International Bodrum Film Festival - early June, held at the castle, with an awards ceremony, concerts and film screenings
• Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival - in nearby Antalya, occurs every summer, with operas and ballets at the 20,000-seat Aspendos Antique Theatre

July

• Baris Suyu Turkish Culture and Tourism Festival - is another popular Antalya event near Bodrum, featuring the likes of Tarkan at this three-day annual event each July. Thousands of spectators turn up for the festival
• Bodrum Festival - late July to early August, staged at the castle and featuring an array of musical performances, which reliably always draw sizable crowds

August

• Gumusluk International Classical Music Festival - early to late August, held at the neighbouring seaside village of Gumusluk since 2004, at its historical Eklisia Church. Further concerts now take place at the Bodrum Amphitheatre, always attracting leading musicians and orchestras from Turkey and beyond
• Aegean Festival - mid-August, with food, folklore music and dancing, and various other activities, lasting for an entire week at the Yalikavak Marina
• Bodrum International Ballet Festival - mid to late August, features classical performances by renowned orchestras at the Castle of St. Peter

September

• Bodrum Ortakent Yahsi Folkloric Dance Festival - mid-September, lasting three days and staged at various central venues, including the Erdal Cerci Square
• Ramadan - the period of a month-long fasting for the Muslim population of the town following the Islamic calendar

October

• Bodrum Cup Wooden Yacht Regatta - sees traditional wooden boats from all over the world racing at this fun regatta at Bodrum every October
• Republic Day - the 29th of October is an important day nationwide with partying and celebrations marking the formation of Turkey and the sacking of the Ottoman Empire
• Seker Bayram - also known as the Candy Festival, Seker Bayram marks the end of Ramadan and sees lots of feasting, including the eating of candy during the daytime

November

• Anniversary of the Death of Ataturk - November 10th, the entire country of Turkey observes a minute of silence at 09:05 in the morning, to commemorate the death of its founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in 1938

December

• Bodrum Jazz Days - early to late December, run by the town's very own Hadigari Night Club and known to attract both famous jazz musicians and young, up-and-coming musical talents
• Eid ul-Adha - another popular event specifically for Muslims, held exactly 70 days after the end of Ramadan. Eid ul-Adha features four full-on days of eating and is when cafés and restaurants in town buzz