Hıdırellez Spring Festival in Turkey
May 5 · Level 9 · #414 of 2238
Hıdırellez is a traditional spring festival in Turkey, welcoming the season with wishes for health, prosperity and good fortune. Folk tradition associates it with the meeting of Hızır and İlyas, whose encounter brings renewal to the earth.
How it is celebrated: people gather outdoors for music, dancing and shared food. Customs include jumping over bonfires and leaving written or pictured wishes beneath rose bushes, although practices vary from place to place.
The celebration crosses a date boundary: festivities begin on the evening of May 5, while Hıdırellez itself falls on May 6.