2012 Skokie Festival of Cultures
Turkey will be represented by Turkish American Association for Cultural Exchange this year again. Please come and visit us at the Turkish booth!	Since its inception in 1991, the Skokie Festival of Cultures has become one of the premier ethnic festivals in Illinois, attracting more than 380,000 visitors and dozens of cultures, all representing Skokie's tremendous diversity. Please join us for this 'Tour of the World' where you and your friends and family will enjoy two days of ethnic folk music and dance, a wide range of food, unique arts and crafts, international children's games, a merchandise bazaar, and dozens of cultural booths and displays. The Skokie Festival of Cultures is a winner of state and national art event programming awards and is supported by the Illinois Arts Council — as well as by local public agencies, service groups and corporate sponsors.
May 19 & 20, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oakton Park, 4701 West Oakton St., Skokie, IL

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Chicago Turkish Festival will be celebrating its 10th year in September 2012. This increasingly popular festival will again be held at one of downtown Chicago's busiest squares, right across from City Hall on the block of Washington Street between Clark and Dearborn.

The Festival will be open to general public free of charge from 10 AM to 6 PM CST. Free live performances will take place between noon and 2 PM at the Daley Plaza stage every day. For more info, please visit at www.chicagoturkishfestival.com.

 

 

 

Did you know that?

• The only city in the world located on two continents is Istanbul which has been the capital of three great empires - Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman - for more than 2000 years.
   
• The number of archaeological excavations going on in Turkey every year is at least 150.
   
• The oldest known human settlements is in Catalhoyuk, Turkey (7500 BC).
   
• Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus - are two of the seven wonders of the ancient world - are in Turkey.
   
• Abraham was born in Sanliurfa in southeast Turkey.
   
• Anatolia is the birthplace of historic legends, such as Homer (the poet), King Midas, Heredotus (the father of history), and St. Paul the Apostle.
   
• Julius Caesar proclaimed his celebrated words, "Veni, Vidi, Vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered) in Turkey when he defeated the Pontus, a formidable kingdom in the Bleak Sea region of Turkey.
   
• Turks introduced coffee to Europe.
   
• Turks gave the Dutch their famous tulips.
   
• St Nicholas, who became popular as Father Christmas, was born in Demre on Turkey's Mediterranean coast.
   
• According to legend, Noah's Ark landed on Agri Dagi (Mount Ararat) in Eastern Turkey.
   
• The last meal on Noah's Ark, a pudding with nearly 20 ingredients, is still served throughout Turkey.
   
• The last home of Virgin Mary is in Selcuk.