# 5th International Ashik Festival held in Kayseri > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/international-ashik-festival-in-kayseri > Updated: 2026-08-31T04:24:03.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 3. The 5th International Ashik Festival was held on Saturday, August 29, at the Erciyes Culture Center (EKM) in Kayseri, Turkey. Co-hosted by the Kayseri Governorship and the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, the event was relocated from the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Millet Bahçesi due to forecasted unfavorable weather. The festival brought together poets and musicians to celebrate the ‘ashik’ tradition, which encompasses oral literature, folk poetry, and the saz musical instrument. The lineup included domestic performers from various Turkish provinces—such as Gümüşhane, Van, Ardahan, Erzurum, Antalya, Ankara, Osmaniye, Adana, Kahramanmaraş, and Konya—as well as international artists from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. Kayseri Mayor Dr. Memduh Büyükkılıç and Kayseri Governor Gökmen Çiçek attended the ceremony. During the event, Mayor Büyükkılıç noted that the festival serves as a fitting celebration for the city as it prepares to serve as the TÜRKSOY 2027 Turkic World Culture Capital. ## Claims - The 5th International Ashik Festival is co-hosted by the Kayseri Governorship and Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The event venue was changed to the Erciyes Culture Center (EKM) due to unfavorable weather forecasts. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The festival is scheduled for Saturday, August 29, at 20:00. (corroborated by 3 sources) - International participants include performers from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Kayseri is designated as the Turkic World Capital of Culture for 2027. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Kayseri Mayor Memduh Büyükkılıç stated that the organization is fitting for Kayseri as the 2027 Turkic World Culture Capital. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The 5th International Ashik Festival was co-hosted by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality and the Kayseri Governorship. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The festival featured poets and musicians from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The event took place at the Erciyes Culture Center. (corroborated by 3 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-31: Kayseri hosts 5th International Ashik Festival The 5th International Ashik Festival in Kayseri brought together musicians from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan to celebrate Turkic oral traditions. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kayseri-hosts-5th-international-ashik-festival ### 2026-08-27: Kayseri to host 5th International Ashik Festival The 5th International Ashik Festival will be held on August 29 at the Erciyes Culture Center in Kayseri, featuring folk performers from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kayseri-to-host-5th-international-ashik-festival-1 ### 2026-08-24: Kayseri to host 5th International Ashik Festival The 5th International Ashik Festival will take place in Kayseri on August 29, featuring folk artists from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan to celebrate Turkic oral and musical traditions. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kayseri-to-host-5th-international-ashik-festival --- Cite as: 5th International Ashik Festival held in Kayseri. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/international-ashik-festival-in-kayseri