28 February 2006

Award Winning Spring Festival

Federation of Turkish Tour Guide Association (TUREB) 2005 Tourism Awards (Tourism Oscars) were given in a ceremony held at Maxigala, under the New Galata Bridge, on February 21, 2006. TUREB offers awards each year on February 21, which is the World Tourist Guides Day, to projects, individuals and institutions that operate with the aim of protecting the environment and cultural heritage. The awards are given according to the online votes of thousands of tourist guides. Among the this years' candidates of Best Authentic and Local Event was The Hıdrellez at Ahırkapı activities which became the winner.

Hıdrellez Festival, that is still celebrated with grand ceremonies in Anatolia, has been celebrated since ancient times. Although it is celebrated under different names and in different times, it is possible to see the motifs of Hıdrellez in many places. The arrival of spring and awakening of nature has been perceived as a phenomenon to be celebrated. In fact, Hıdrellez, as a spring festival, has a universal character. The ones at the Ahirkapi Street were first designed in the pioneership of Armada and since then they are being commonly owned by the civic community and supported by local Eminönü Municipality. See: www.hidrellez.org