Turkey comes to Toronto this weekend

(August 5, 2010) – The Ottoman Military Band will be a headline act at this weekend’s Toronto Turkish Festival that will take place at the city’s Yonge and Dundas Square.

The 4th Toronto Turkish Festival is organized by the Canadian Turkish Friendship Community and celebrates Turkish culture through music, exhibits, arts, crafts, dance, shows and fabulous foods.

The Ottoman Military Band (Mehter), which for centuries accompanied the marching Ottoman army into battles, use the drum and zurna – an oboe-like woodwind instrument – which is a part of folk culture all over Türkey.

Mehter music was a symbol of sovereignty and independence, and its ardent sounds instilled the soldiers with strength and courage.

This year, the festival organizing committee expects international participation from municipalities in Türkey, in addition to many exhibitors from Canada.

The first Turkish festival was held by Canadian Turkish Friendship Community on August 5, 2006 with the participation of 40,000 people, and 80,000 people attended in 2007,  2008, and 2009.

This year over 100,000 people are expected at the event from all over the GTA.

Previous festivals have featured unique and fascinating demonstrations of distinctive traditional Turkish crafts, such as paper water marbling (Ebru), and carpet weaving.

This weekend Yonge and Dundas Square will come alive with Turkish musical performances and folk dancing, including Sufi music and dancing.

The festival will feature dazzling displays of handcrafted linens, clothing, and carpets, decorative accessories, hand-painted ceramic plates and tiles, copper crafts, pottery, silk scarves, pillowcases, books on Turkish life, culture, cooking and travel, and CDs of traditional and other popular, rock and jazz Turkish music.

When: Saturday and Sunday, August 7 and 8th 2010, from 12 noon to 10 pm at YONGE &DUNDAS SQUARE, in the heart of downtown Toronto. Funds raised from the festival will be donated to Nil Academy School. The festival is open to all and is free of charge.

For more information see here