Alantepe oil wrestling festival to celebrate tradition and culture on August 21–23
The Traditional Alantepe Oil Wrestling Festival and Cultural Events will take place from August 21 to 23, featuring a three-day program that highlights the region's rich cultural heritage through sports, folklore, music and community celebrations.
The festivities will begin on Friday, August 21, with a mevlid (religious memorial prayer) following Friday prayers in the village of Payamlar. Participants will be served rice and ayran after the ceremony. The day's program will also include the official farewell ceremony for Alantepe Agha Sadettin Mustafa before he visits villages across the Kozlukebir Municipality as part of the traditional invitation tour.
On Saturday, August 22, the historic Alantepe wrestling arena will host the oil wrestling competitions, one of the festival's main attractions. In the evening, visitors will enjoy live performances by Barout Band, Melody and Rumeli Yakup.
The final day, Sunday, August 23, will begin with the official reception of guests and protocol members at noon, followed by opening speeches at 1 p.m. Cultural performances by the folklore teams of the Gümülcine Turkish Youth Union and the İskeçe Turkish Union will precede another round of traditional oil wrestling matches.
The festival will conclude with evening concerts by Original Ton and Göknur, bringing three days of sport, music and cultural heritage to a close.
Held annually, the Alantepe Oil Wrestling Festival has become one of the most significant cultural events for the Turkish community of Western Thrace, preserving centuries-old wrestling traditions while strengthening community ties across the region.
