Chicago to get a taste of the Turkic world

This two-day event features a variety of activities that represent the heritage of countries including Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants will have the opportunity to experience different flavors, sounds and smells that will invade the pier in the form of fresh Turkish delicacies, Ottoman-era marching bands, whirling dervishes and world-famous Turkish coffee.

"The festival offers Chicagoans a unique opportunity to experience an infusion of rich culture from seven countries without leaving the city," said Süleyman Turhan, spokesman of the Turkish American Society of Chicago (TASC) and the Niagara Foundation, which are sponsoring the event. "Our guests will be able to see, smell, taste and fully envelop themselves in each element of these countries, which have thousands of years of history and have been home to hundreds of civilizations."

Entertainment will include time-honored folk dancing and live concerts from performers including a mehter, or Ottoman janissary band. Mehter bands were founded several centuries ago and has played a significant role in shaping music and tradition in Europe and Asia. Mehter was the source of inspiration for many European musicians, including Mozart, whose "Rondo Alla Turca" was inspired by mehter. The yearly mehter performance at the festival is a rare treat for attendees, who are able to witness one of the world's oldest musical traditions brought to life, Kazinform refers to Today's Zaman.

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