Seattle Center Festál: TurkFest Features Turkish Experiences

Seattle Center Festál TurkFest, Oct. 16 - 17, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., in Center House, celebrates the multiple cultures that link modern Turkey to the East and West. This educationally enriching, entertaining and engaging festival of friendship showcases Turkish culture and heritage.

This year's schedule includes several interactive Turkish experiences: "Istanbul House," Turkish foods and food demonstrations, "A Turkish Experience" - a presentation by Wole Moses of Microsoft, who lived and worked in Istanbul and a paper marbling workshop. Also featured are:

* Mavi Dance, the only dance company in New England to boast a repertoire that includes Turkish, Georgian, Indian, Russian, Middle Eastern, Spanish and Tajik pieces
* Sufi performance by Mevlevi Order of America
* Bosnian music and dance by SEVDAH and Mary Sherhart
* Turkish children's rock band, Group Zamane
* Performance by high school student/jazz singer, Katherine Stuber
* Middle Eastern music by the renowned George Sadak
* Central Asian musical performance by Masguda Shamsutdinova
* Turkish costumes throughout history, fashion show
* "Capture Istanbul," photography exhibit

Did you know? The colors of the culture are red and white (colors of the flag) and turquoise (color of the Mediterranean Sea). The most popular foods include doner and shish kabob, borek, vegetable dishes cooked in olive oil, mezes, baklava, eggplant and yoghurt. The greatest sources of cultural pride derive from the traditions of food, music, and dance spanning the thousand-year-old Anatolian heritage, influenced by the rapid transition from a 600-year old sultanate (the Ottoman Empire) to democracy and the immediate implementation of major reforms. Vast natural resources (fishing and mining), a growing textile sector and international business ventures enhance the livelihood of Turks, while the country's hospitality sector is well developed and attracts many tourists each year.

Seattle Center Festál: TurkFest is presented by Seattle Center in partnership with the TurkFest Steering Committee. For a full event schedule, visit www.turkfest.org, and for more information on this cultural series and other Seattle Center programming, click on www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200.

Information kindly provided by Seattle Center.