Free, family-friendly festival features Turkish and Turkic performers, food vendors, and hands-on activities for all ages, Oct. 10–11
SEATTLE, WA— A road trip through Türkiye comes to Seattle Center this October, as Turkfest returns for its 26th year with two days of Turkish music, dance, and food. The free festival takes place from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11 as part of Seattle Center Festál in the Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall.
Inside the Armory Food & Event Hall, the weekend’s “Road Trip Through Türkiye” theme comes to life through emcee narration guiding guests between stage performances. Guests can browse a marketplace of Turkish carpets, jewelry, and Turkish delight, take in art and textile exhibitions and documentaries, and cheer on contestants in a baklava eating contest. A food court featuring several Turkish restaurants serves up traditional Turkish cuisine throughout the weekend, alongside workshops and youth activities for all ages.
Presented by the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington, Turkfest has grown every year since its founding in 2001, bringing Turkish and Turkic culture to Seattle Center, the cultural heart of the city. This year’s festival falls during Turkish Heritage Month and coincides with the anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic on Oct. 29, honoring the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
The festival’s stage program features traditional and contemporary performances by the Anadolu Turkish Musicians and Anadolu Turkish Folk Dancers, Sehri Seattle, and Ahmet Serkan, highlighted by a special guest performer, Uğur Önür, traveling from Türkiye to join the Anadolu Turkish Musicians on stage. Vendors including Koza Turkish Grocery round out the marketplace with authentic Turkish products, food, and treats.
“For more than two decades, Turkfest has provided a gathering space for Turkish Americans and showcased the many aspects of Turkish culture,” said Burcu Birka, president of the Turkfest committee. “Come and enjoy our stage program and delicious food.”
Seattle Center Festál promotes cultural awareness by welcoming the broader public to engage, learn, and celebrate alongside each community, fostering greater understanding and respect. Over the decades, Festál has grown into a cornerstone of Seattle Center’s cultural programming, creating space for communities to share their histories, traditions, and contemporary expressions on their own terms.
About Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington (TACAWA)
Turkfest has celebrated Turkish and Turkic heritage in the Pacific Northwest since 2001, marking its 26th year in 2026 as part of Seattle Center Festál. The festival is produced by the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington (TACAWA), an organization of volunteers dedicated to fostering friendship, understanding, and cooperation through educational, entertaining, and engaging cultural programs that celebrate Turkish culture and heritage. Learn more at TurkFest.org.
Information on the festival is available at SeattleCenter.com and TurkFest.org.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity.
These community-produced events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of our region’s diversity through immersive performances, food, arts, and educational programming. Collectively, the festivals welcome approximately 400,000 visits annually, generate an estimated $30 million in economic activity, support more than 250 jobs, and engage thousands of volunteers, artists, and small business vendors.
Seattle Center Festál is presented in partnership between Seattle Center and 25 community-based organizations, with support from the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture’s Sustained Support and Free/Reduced Access programs. Additional support for Festál 2026 is provided by 2025 charitable donations from the Snoqualmie Tribe, and ArtsFund’s Community Accelerator Grant funded by Allen Family Philanthropies.
About Seattle Center — The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest
Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of Seattle and is home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others.
Anchored by world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events centered around the iconic International Fountain, Seattle Center brings together arts, culture, sports, and community year-round.
As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center serves residents from across the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world.
In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Center provides operations, maintenance, and public safety services for Waterfront Park, while Friends leads park experience, programming, and stewardship along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.
Seattle Center welcomes nearly 12 million visits annually, generating nearly $3.3 billion in total economic activity, supporting 19,400 jobs, and producing more than $37 million in local tax revenue for the City of Seattle.
With the support of its official partners—Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank—Seattle Center is the most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.