Folk dances, elaborate costumes, culinary delights and a tempting bazaar underscore Turkish linkages to East and West at Seattle Center Festál: TurkFest, Saturday, 12pm-6pm, Sunday, 12pm-5 pm, Oct. 15-16, in Seattle Center Armory.
The 16th annual festival takes Turkish cuisine as its theme, with cooking demonstrations showcased on the Armory stage. Students from American Turkish Academy of Washington offer presentations on famous Turkish dishes. A lively bazaar serves authentic foods and refreshments including donair, Turkish delight, baklava and Turkish coffee and tea. Also available for purchase are Turkish carpets, jewelry and wine.
Sehr-i Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. based musical group Istanbul the Band perform contemporary Turkish music. Dynamic performances by Janelle Bel Isle, Karavan’s Dance Troupe and Helene Eriksen demonstrate the range of Turkish folk dancing.
Festival-goers of all ages may complete Turkish themed arts and crafts activities. A special children’s area offers kid-friendly workshops and a playground.
Seattle Center Festál is a program of Seattle Center Productions. Admission is free-of-charge. For more information on this collection of ethnic cultural events and other Seattle Center public programming, visit www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200. Learn more about Seattle Center Festál: TurkFest at: http://www.turkfest.org.
