Türkiye welcomes spring with centuries-old Hıdırellez traditions

EDİRNE

Türkiye has marked Hıdırellez festival with celebrations of the centuries-old spring tradition, with the most vibrant scenes unfolding in the northwestern province of Edirne, where crowds gathered for the Kakava festivities and released papers bearing wishes into the Tunca River.

Celebrated annually on the night of May 5–6 across Türkiye and a wide geography stretching from the Balkans to Central Asia, Hıdırellez is one of the region’s most enduring seasonal traditions.

Recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the festival symbolizes renewal, fertility and hope, as well as the awakening of nature after winter.

Rooted in folklore, Hıdırellez is believed to mark the once-a-year meeting of the figures Hızır and İlyas, who are associated with prosperity and protection on land and water.

While Hıdırellez is observed nationwide with various rituals — from lighting bonfires and jumping over flames for purification to placing wishes under rose trees — the most vibrant celebrations take place in Edirne during the Kakava festivities, widely associated with the city’s Romani community.

This year’s events drew large crowds to the historic Sarayiçi area, where festivities began with the lighting of the traditional Kakava fire. The celebrations continued into the early morning hours with music, dance performances and symbolic rituals.

At dawn, participants gathered on the Fatih Bridge to release handwritten wishes into the Tunca River or hang them on nearby trees — gestures believed to help wishes come true in the coming year.

Edirne Mayor Filiz Gencan also joined the crowd, releasing a “wish flower” into the river carrying messages of “abundance, peace, love and well-being.”

“We experienced together the joy of spring — its abundance, solidarity and sense of unity,” she said.

Festivalgoers echoed similar sentiments.

Mehmet Ali Önsoy, who traveled from the western city of İzmir, said it was his first time making a wish at the event despite attending before. “There are wars in today’s world. People deserve peace above all. That is my biggest wish,” he said.

Local resident Birgül Akgül Kaynak, who attends the festival every year, said she released her written wishes into the river as part of the tradition. “I hope everyone’s wishes come true,” she said.

Beyond individual rituals, Kakava celebrations in Edirne also carry a deeper cultural narrative tied to the legend of Baba Fingo — a mythical figure believed by Romani communities to return from the waters each year, symbolizing liberation and rebirth.

This belief is reflected in the early morning gatherings by the river, where water plays a central role in symbolic cleansing and renewal.