Turkiye’s centuries-old arts, distinctive cuisine, music, dance, and cultural traditions will come together in the heart of San Francisco when the Turkish American Association of California (CALTURKS) presents the 3rd Annual San Francisco Turkish Festival on September 12–13 at Embarcadero Plaza. The free, two-day festival runs from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM both days and brings together 48 vendors, a full weekend of live performances, artists, and cultural groups representing Turkiye and the broader Turkic world, alongside special presentations rarely seen together in the Bay Area. Following a 2025 festival that welcomed more than 7,000 visitors, this year’s celebration places a special emphasis on living cultural heritage traditions that continue to be practiced, taught, and passed from one generation to the next.
Master Artisans Traveling From Türkiye:
At the center of this year’s cultural program are four master artisans traveling from Turkiye specifically for the San Francisco Turkish Festival. Visitors will be able to meet the artists, watch live demonstrations, and experience four distinctive traditions firsthand:
Almula Idil Kılıc: Demonstrating the intricate patterns, painting techniques, and craftsmanship of Kütahya’s centuries-old ceramic tradition through Kütahya Tile Art.
Ertugrul Uzumcu: Demonstrating traditional copper craftsmanship, an art shaped and preserved by generations of Anatolian artisans via Traditional Turkish Coppersmithing.
Orhan cakıroglu: Continuing the Gaziantep tradition as a fifth-generation artisan making distinctive handmade leather Yemeni footwear crafted using techniques passed down through his family.
Suheyla Sarı Yoldas: Demonstrating the meticulous techniques behind traditional Hereke silk weaving, internationally renowned for its extraordinary detail and craftsmanship.
Rather than displaying these traditions only as finished objects, the festival will allow visitors to see the hands and techniques behind the art and meet the people keeping these traditions alive.
The Kangal: A Living Symbol of Anatolia
The festival’s celebration of living heritage extends beyond art and craftsmanship to include the Kangal Dog. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Kangal Dogs, Turkiye’s internationally recognized livestock guardian breed and an important part of Anatolia’s pastoral heritage. For centuries, Kangals have worked alongside shepherds, protecting livestock across the Anatolian landscape, and have become one of Turkiye’s best-known native breeds due to their size, intelligence, loyalty, courage, and protective instincts. Thakeb Kangals will bring award-winning Kangals to Embarcadero Plaza, where visitors can meet the dogs and their handlers and learn about the breed’s history, characteristics, and traditional role.
A Celebration of the Wider Turkic World:
The San Francisco Turkish Festival also provides a stage for the cultural traditions connecting Turkiye with communities across the Turkic world. Throughout the weekend, audiences will experience performers and cultural groups representing Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Uyghur traditions, alongside Turkish folk dance, live music, a Whirling Dervish performance, darbuka, and contemporary performances. The festival brings these communities together not as separate exhibits, but as part of a shared weekend of cultural exchange in one of the world’s most diverse cities.
Food, Vendors, and Community Invitation:
Food serves as another major part of the celebration. With 48 vendors participating, Embarcadero Plaza will offer visitors Turkish foods and desserts, coffee, handmade goods, jewelry, textiles, art, crafts, specialty products, and cultural displays. Guests can come for lunch and stay for the day discovering an artist, watching a performance, meeting a Kangal, shopping from local businesses, and experiencing traditions they might otherwise have to travel thousands of miles to encounter.
Expressing the mission of the event, Nalan Gungor Ozisik, President of the Turkish American Association of California, noted that the organizers want people to experience the culture rather than simply read about it, inviting individuals of all backgrounds to come taste the food, listen to the music, watch the dances, meet the artists, and celebrate generations of carried-forward traditions.
Event Details and Organizer Background:
Event Name: 3rd Annual San Francisco Turkish Festival
Dates: September 12–13, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM–6:00 PM
Location: Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco
Admission: FREE (All are welcome)
Website: TURKFESTSF.ORG
Founded in 1975, the Turkish American Association of California (CALTURKS) is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing Turkish culture, arts, and heritage while strengthening friendship, understanding, and cultural exchange among communities. For more than five decades, the organization has brought people together through cultural celebrations, educational programs, performances, and community events throughout California.
