Jones Plaza has become the home of the annual Turkish festival in Houston since the early 2000s. The location proved to be very convenient for an event of this scope. Downtown Houston, especially the Theatre District, has been a point of attraction for tourists from everywhere. Thanks to the efforts of the City of Houston, over the last decade Downtown Houston has become a lively place with many cultural and social activities not only on the weekends but also the weeknights.
Turkish Festival has always been held in the fall, which has been the season of festivals and conventions in Texas. This time of the year attracts a lot of visitors to the business center of Houston. With many new and existing, eminent hotels in the downtown area, festivals including the Turkishfest offer fun and relaxation along with unique performances and food to business and leisure travelers alike. Houston is a truly cosmopolitan city and we are proud to present some of the Turkish components of this mosaic.
Turkishfest 2010 will take place on the third weekend of October. The doors will open at noon both days and will close at 10 PM with a “downtown party” on Saturday, October 16th and at 8 PM with a concert on Sunday, October 17th.
| When: | October 16-17 2010 | |
| Time: | Saturday | Noon - 10:00PM |
| Sunday | Noon - 8:00PM | |
| Where: | Jones Plaza |
601 Louisiana St. Houston, TX 77002 |
| Admission: | Children Under 8 | Free! |
| Children 8-16 | $3 | |
| Adults | $5 | |
Every festival is differentin terms of number of activities, the scope of presentations, vendors and music groups selection, but the goal of the festival is still the same: increase, promote and foster friendships by raising the public knowledge level and understanding of Turkish culture and traditions in the process of entertainment and learning. Attraction of tourists, students and Turkish businesses to Houston is another goal of the festival. Business linkages between Turkey and Texas, and in particular Houston, have been increasing over the last decade; Texas is Turkey’s largest trade partner in the U.S.Many Houston-based companies are seeking business opportunities in Turkey. Also, increasingly Turkish students prefer schools in Texas, especially those in Houston for their graduate as well as undergraduate studies; Turkey regularly ranks among the top ten countries in terms students in the U.S.Each festival has a lot of activities for young generation. We welcome and encourage young volunteers to participate in the community services.
In 2006, Houston Turkish Festival was rated number one in Houston as being “the most colorful and the best organized” by Brian Watson, Festivals Coordinator of the City of Houston. During the festival, there is something for everyone at all ages tocelebrate, learn, and savor Turkish hospitality, culture, heritage and cuisine. The first two-day festival in 2009 was considered best yet by most regular attendees with the participation of world-class folk dance troupe from Turkey and two more communities from Houston, Azerbaijanis and Bosnians. Local TV and radio, and Turkish TV stations covered the festival. We are striving the 2010 festival even more successful with a richer program.
Whole day of entertainment includes live music in Turkish,English,and other languages (mostly from the Balkan and Caucasus regions) by local bands (such as Greg Harbar and the Gypsies), famous bands from Turkey as the headliners, live Turkish Folk Dance Group and belly dancer performances.In 2009, the festival featured the TUANA Turkish Folk Dance and Art Club with their spectacular and signature dance shows such as “Whirling Dervishes” and “Drum Shows”. TUANA also performed at the Bayou City Art Festival, mesmerizing the audience there.
Each festival has a featured visiting musician, band, dance groups or DJ. In the past years ATA brought groups like “AYNA”, “Yeni Turku”, “BulutsuzlukOzlemi”, SertabErener&DemirDemirkan, and Omar FarukTekbilek with his group from New Jersey, United States. One of the most memorable endings of our festivals was witnessed in 2007 when we opened the doors at 8 PM for a Turkish Disco Night. Many people walked in to enjoy the Turkish and international dance favorites played by our DJ. This year, we plan to do a similar Disco Night on Saturday and finish it with a concert on Sunday – the beauty of a twoday festival!