Embrace the cultures of the Pacific Northwest and cultivate love, peace and understanding of the communities that make up our region. Join us for Seattle Center Festál: Turkfest, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19 – 20 in Seattle Center Armory. Turkfest highlights the diversity and richness of Turkish culture and Turkish speaking countries represented in the greater community through educational, entertaining and engaging activities that celebrate the culture and heritage.
This year’s festival theme is “Cradle of Civilization” and will include performances spanning from traditional to the contemporary arts, featuring Turkish artists and children’s activities. Guests will be able to enjoy authentic Turkish food and beverages including the ever-popular Turkish coffee, and purchase souvenirs at the Turkish bazaar.
Did you know the southeast part of Turkey is commonly believed to be the origin of grape domestication, dating back to 9,000 BC? Newly added to the festival this year for the 21+ crowd is wine tasting featuring wine made in Mesopotamia/Persia that is derived from honey, as well as the first grape wine from central Anatolia. Participants will be able to learn about the origins of each wine and the climates that enable the grapes to be produced.
For full schedule visit http://www.turkfest.org/ and RSVP to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/556944164839736/
For full schedule visit http://www.turkfest.org/ and RSVP to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/556944164839736/
Newly added this year is the “Alaska Airlines Fly Away Giveaway.” Guests who obtain a passport inside Seattle Center Armory or by downloading online can collect stamps by attending festivals to be entered to win round-trip air travel for two to the Alaska Airlines destination of their choice. Each stamp is an entry to win; the more Festál events attended and stamps collected, the higher the odds of winning! More information at seattlecenter.com/festal.
Seattle Center Festál highlights the culturally rich communities who shape the character of our region. Although the series began in 1997, the festivals took place earlier in their own ethnic communities. Now, Seattle Center serves as a central place, where festivals invite the public to join in their unique cultural expression. This year’s theme, “Love, Peace and Understanding,” is woven throughout 24 free, ethnic cultural festivals. In a time of divisive national rhetoric, Festál celebrates our shared humanity to build connections, tear down stereotypes and create trust.
Seattle Center Festál: Turkfest is a public program presented by Seattle Center in partnership with the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington. Admission is free of charge. For more information on this festival, visit croatiafest.org, and to learn more about this collection of ethnic cultural events and other Seattle Center public programming, visit www.seattlecenter.com or call 206-684-7200.
About Seattle Center Festál:
This illuminating series of 24 ethnic cultural festivals on weekends throughout the year seeks to connect people in ways that build understanding, dispel stereotypes and generate pride among the generations who participate in these shared experiences. Seattle Center Festál is produced with the generous support of KUOW 94.9 Public Radio, Coca-Cola, Alaska Airlines, T-Mobile, Lyft, 4Culture, the City of Seattle and Seattle Center Foundation.
