The Bazaar culture is engraved in the Turkish way of life. The color, the variety, the noise, the crowd, the bargaining and simply all the chaos of the market place is an irreplaceble part of the Turkish culture. A leisurely afternoon spent exploring the bazaar, touching and feeling the items on display, barganing for purchases and then sitting in one of the cafés with friends and having a cup of strong Turkish coffee or tea is very common among the Turks. Bazaars are the most common stops to shop for important events such as the weddings, bayram celebrations, big family gatherings but also for daily and random needs. For this reason, it is not surprising that one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the World is located in Istanbul. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is a massive labyrinth of 4000 shops lining up the flanks of 58 covered streets and has between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily (wikipedia.org). It is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. The bazaar contains two bedestens (domed masonry structures built for storage and safe keeping), the first of which was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.

The Festival will bring the Turkish Bazaar Culture into the heart of Washington, DC. More than 25 vendors will sell exciting items such as silver, jewelry, shawls, hip scarves, pottery and much more.