The International Tarhana Festival kicked off with colorful scenes on the first day.

The Uşak International Tarhana Festival organized by the Uşak Municipality has begun.

The opening of the festival was accompanied by motorcycle groups, model vehicles, associations, and a large Turkish flag. Following the parade, Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım addressed the citizens gathered at the festival area, saying, “This culture is our culture. This culture is the most important heritage passed down to us from our ancestors, made from the foods of this land and brought to our tables as healing. Through the festival we organized, we will announce our tarhana, which is our heritage, to the whole world.”

Mayor Yalım stated that the festival will contribute to the international recognition of Uşak; “This festival, for which we started preparations days in advance and aimed to set a world record, will not only help Uşak be recognized worldwide but will also open our local Uşak tarhana to the world from our kitchens. I thank you for sharing these proud moments, and I wish our valuable guests from outside the city and my citizens to spend three days like a feast.”

Additionally, during the program, speeches were made by Deputy Governor Burak Bozkurt Gürses, Gülşah Deniz Atalar, Deputy Chairman of the Republican People’s Party responsible for the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Ali Mahir Başarır, Deputy Group Chairman of the Republican People’s Party Mersin Deputy, Sevinç Yazgan, Provincial Chairman of the Republican People’s Party, Ali Karaoba, Uşak Deputy from the Republican People’s Party, and Reşit Alkan, Mayor of Besni.

The first competition of the festival was the “Little Chefs Tarhana Pancake Competition.” In this fun competition, where children aged between 5 and 7 participated, the little ones showcased their skills while experiencing exciting moments. At the end of the competition, various gifts were given to the top three little chefs.

After the competition, citizens experienced thrilling moments with the javelin show, another value of Uşak, and corn wood shows. Following the equestrian performances, the mehteran team, which is also part of the cultural heritage, took the stage and captivated the audience with their magnificent show.

Then, the Uşak Ayna Folk Dance Group filled the stage with visual richness; they performed local dances, providing a visual feast for the festival enthusiasts.

After the colorful performances, our local artists Barış Dönmez, Faik Ceylan, Naim Akbaş, and Alim Toker took the stage, entertaining the festival lovers with beautiful folk songs that have been sung for generations in our culture. Later in the night, beloved Uşak artist Ufuk Çakır and the famous singer Türkü Akbayram, who mesmerized listeners with their voices, left their mark on the night with their colorful repertoires and spectacular stage performances.