Samsun Culture Route Festival launches 9‑day program

The Turkey Culture Route Festival’s seventh stop opened in Samsun on 20 June 2026. The nine‑day event will run at 18 venues across the city and feature 225 cultural, artistic and gastronomic activities, including concerts, exhibitions, workshops, theatre, ballet and a programme of 44 designated food‑experience sites.

Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan said the festival “has become a world‑brand” and that it is now “one of the biggest festivals in the world.” He highlighted the festival’s role in preserving cultural memory, boosting the local economy and promoting Samsun’s culinary heritage. Attendees at the opening in Samsun Museum included the city’s governor, the university rector, the mayor and the festival’s general director Selim Terzi.

Organisers expect visitors from other Turkish provinces and abroad, emphasising the festival’s contribution to tourism and cultural exchange.