A bazaar that stays up all night
Adana is a kebab city, and for one night a year it is a rakı city too. The World Rakı Festival takes over the lanes around the Kazancılar Bazaar, the old coppersmiths’ quarter, and runs overnight. It is a street festival rather than a ticketed hall, and grills, tables, music and dancing spill across the streets.
Picture the old commercial core of Adana. Low stone and brick buildings line narrow streets near the Büyük Saat, the city’s 19th-century clock tower. Here the festival happens out in the open, on the pavements, in the meyhanes (taverns) and among the crowds moving between them.
Dates and tickets for 2026
The 2026 festival is on Saturday, December 12. The rule is easy to remember: it is held every year on the second Saturday night of December. Because it is overnight, the party carries on past midnight into Sunday morning.
Ticketing depends on how each venue organises its own night. The streets are public, but restaurants and meyhanes inside the area run their own tables and reservations. Confirm timing, venue boundaries and tickets on the official festival source, and book a table directly with any restaurant you have your heart set on.
Getting to Kazancılar Bazaar
The bazaar sits in Seyhan, the central district on the west bank of the Seyhan River. Useful landmarks close by:
- Büyük Saat, the clock tower, the easiest meeting point in the old centre
- Taşköprü, the Roman-era stone bridge across the Seyhan
- Sabancı Merkez Camii, the large riverside mosque with six minarets, visible from much of the centre
Flights now land at Çukurova International Airport, which replaced the old city-centre airport in 2024. It lies a fair drive west of town, so plan a taxi or a transfer. On the night itself, leave the car behind. The old-town streets fill up, and taxis and walking are far simpler than finding parking.
What lands on the table
Rakı in Turkey is never drunk on an empty stomach, and Adana feeds it generously. The city’s namesake kebab is hand-minced lamb pressed onto a wide flat skewer and grilled over charcoal. It comes with lavaş flatbread, grilled tomatoes and peppers, and a pile of onion with sumac and parsley.
Look out for these alongside it:
- Şalgam, the dark purple, sour fermented turnip and carrot juice that Adana drinks with kebab, and sometimes with rakı
- Beyaz peynir and kavun, white cheese and melon, the classic rakı opening
- Ezme, a finely chopped, spicy tomato and pepper salad
- Ciğer, skewered liver, often eaten late into the night
Drinking rakı the Adana way
Rakı is an anise spirit, and it has its own manners. Learn a few and the table will treat you as one of them.
- Water first, then ice. Pour the rakı into the tall glass, add cold water so it turns milky white, then add ice. Ice straight into neat rakı is considered bad form.
- Keep two glasses. Locals usually keep a water glass beside the rakı glass and sip between the two.
- Toast low. Say “Şerefe” when you clink. Tapping the base of your glass slightly lower than an older person’s glass is a quiet sign of respect.
- Pace it. A rakı table is a long, slow meal of talk and small plates. Order mezes as you go rather than all at once.
- Pay as Turkey pays. Cards are widely accepted in restaurants, but street vendors may prefer cash. Rounding up or leaving around ten percent at a sit-down table is normal.
When the music starts, people get up and dance. Joining a circle is welcome. Watch a round first so you can follow the steps.
Planning the night and the morning after
Book your hotel early. One fixed Saturday pulls visitors from across Turkey, and rooms near the old centre are the most convenient. Staying within walking distance of the clock tower means no hunt for a taxi at 3am.
December nights in Adana are cool even though the days are mild. Wear layers, because most of the evening happens outdoors. Remember too that you’re in a working bazaar district, where pavements are uneven and lanes are narrow.
On Sunday, walk it off along the river. Cross Taşköprü, then head to the Sabancı Merkez Camii grounds. Finish with a bowl of tripe soup or a glass of şalgam, the local morning cure. Confirm timing and tickets on the official site before you commit to travel.
Frequently asked questions
When is the World Rakı Festival in 2026?
Saturday, December 12, 2026. The festival is held every year on the second Saturday night of December and runs overnight into Sunday morning.
Where in Adana does the festival take place?
Around the Kazancılar Bazaar in the old city centre, in the Seyhan district near the Büyük Saat clock tower and close to the Seyhan River.
Do I need a ticket?
It is a street festival, but individual restaurants and meyhanes manage their own tables. Confirm ticketing on the official festival source and reserve directly with any venue you want to sit at.
How do I get there from the airport?
Adana is now served by Çukurova International Airport, which lies a fair drive west of the city. Take a taxi or a pre-booked transfer into the centre, and walk or use taxis around the old town on festival night.
What should I eat with rakı in Adana?
Adana kebab with lavaş and sumac onions, white cheese and melon, spicy ezme, liver skewers, and a glass of şalgam, the sour fermented turnip juice the city drinks with kebab.
Plan your trip to Adana
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