Events and Festivals on the Bodrum Peninsula

The peninsula’s calendar runs well beyond the beach season. Most of the bigger cultural events fall between June and October, but there are smaller, very local festivals in winter and spring too. Below is what usually happens, roughly when and where. Dates change every year, so always confirm with the organiser before planning a trip around anything here.

Spring (March to May)

Bodrum Acı Ot Festivali (wild greens festival)

Usually: late March · Where: Ortakent village centre (Köyiçi)

A weekend of stalls, cooking and tasting built around the bitter wild greens that come up after the winter rains. It is a good way to meet village producers and learn the names of what ends up on your plate; our field guide to Aegean herbs is a useful companion. Dates change every year; check the organiser (Bodrum Municipality).

In the next few years the religious holidays also fall in spring; see the last section.

Summer (June to August)

Bodrum Jazz Festival

Usually: June, for about two weeks · Where: venues in and around Bodrum town

Run by the Caz Derneği (Jazz Association), with concerts, talks and the occasional exhibition. In recent years it has moved between early and late June. Dates change every year; check the organiser.

Gümüşlük International Music Festival

Usually: mid-July to early September · Where: Gümüşlük

Running since 2004, this is the event that defines summer evenings in the village. Concerts take place in the ancient stone quarry above Gümüşlük, by the water and at the festival centre, and there is an academy for young musicians alongside. Read more about why the village draws musicians in our piece on art and music in Gümüşlük. Dates change every year; check the organiser.

Bodrum International Ballet Festival

Usually: late July to mid-August · Where: North Moat stage, Bodrum Castle

Organised by the State Opera and Ballet, with Turkish and visiting companies performing classical and modern work against the castle walls. Performances start late, around 21:45 in recent years. Dates change every year; check the organiser.

Autumn (September to November)

Bodrum Turkish Film Week / Bodrum International Film Festival

Usually: late September or early October · Where: Bodrum town, with some screenings on Kos in some years

About a week of Turkish and international films, talks and open-air screenings, some of them free. Dates change every year; check the organiser.

Bodrum Half Marathon

Usually: early October · Where: starts and finishes in central Bodrum

Races over 21K, 10K and 5K, with roads in town closed on race morning, which is worth knowing even if you are not running. Dates change every year; check the organiser.

The Bodrum Cup

Usually: the second half of October · Where: Bodrum and other harbours, route changes each year

A regatta for gulets and traditional wooden boats, running since the late 1980s. The route varies (recent editions have used Yalıkavak, Knidos and even Leros), and Bodrum’s waterfront fills with masts and crews for the week. Dates change every year; check the organiser.

Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayramı), 29 October

Where: everywhere, most visibly in Bodrum town

A national holiday, with flags on every balcony, morning ceremonies and evening celebrations. The afternoon of 28 October is also a half day off. The date is fixed, but the programme changes every year; check with Bodrum Municipality.

Winter (December to February)

Bodrum Mandarin Festival (Mandalin Festivali)

Usually: December · Where: Bitez village centre

A celebration of the Bodrum mandarin, which has a registered geographical indication, as the harvest begins. Expect stalls, music and a lot of fruit. Dates change every year; check the organiser (Bodrum Municipality).

New Year’s Eve

Bodrum town and the marinas are lively. Gümüşlük is quiet, and many waterfront restaurants are closed for winter, so check what is open before you plan dinner. Our guide to Bodrum in winter covers what to expect.

Holidays that move: bayrams and school breaks

The two religious holidays move about eleven days earlier each year and bring the biggest wave of domestic visitors outside summer. According to the Diyanet calendar, in 2027 Ramazan Bayramı falls on 9 to 11 March and Kurban Bayramı on 16 to 19 May. Expect full roads, busy restaurants and higher prices; book well ahead.

Turkish school holidays matter too: the long summer break runs from late June to mid-September, with shorter breaks in mid-November, late January to early February, and in spring.

For the weather side of planning, see our seasons guide.