Last updated: September 8, 2026.
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The Arhavi Municipality International Culture and Art Festival is scheduled for August 18–24, 2027 in Arhavi, Artvin Province, Türkiye. CIOFF lists Ali Ulu as festival director. The municipal festival history traces the event to the early 1970s and describes a broad mix of folk dance, concerts, exhibitions, crafts, sport and local competitions.
This is larger than a folklore-only weekend. Recent municipal programmes combined international dance groups with a procession, music, children’s activity, tea-picking, sport and Black Sea cultural traditions. The published 2027 CIOFF window is seven days, but the municipality has not yet released the public day-by-day schedule.
Confirmed and pending
| Item | Current evidence |
|---|---|
| Dates | August 18–24, 2027 |
| Host | Arhavi Municipality |
| Director | Ali Ulu |
| Established themes | Folk dance, horon, tulum music, concerts, arts, sport and competitions |
| Recent central site | Coastal fill area; 2027 confirmation pending |
| 2027 performers and timetable | Pending |
| Admission, closures and accessibility | Pending |
The official 2026 programme named the coastal fill area, Atatürk Monument and other town locations. These are useful navigation precedents only. Do not promise a military display, artist, country delegation or free concert until the 2027 municipality schedule confirms it.
Building an Arhavi itinerary
Choose one international folk-dance presentation, one local Black Sea culture block and one daytime community activity. Horon dance and the tulum bagpipe are central regional references, while competitions such as tea picking connect the programme to local life. Watch from designated areas and never enter a competition or parade route for a photograph.
Arhavi sits between the green slopes and the Black Sea. Keep nature excursions separate from festival evenings; rain and mountain roads can make travel slower than the distance suggests.
Getting there and staying
Rize–Artvin Airport (RZV) is the closest major air gateway for many routes. Batumi can look nearby on a map but requires an international border crossing, so compare visa, insurance and rental restrictions before considering it. Continue from RZV by current coach, transfer or car and allow generous time.
Stay in central Arhavi for the easiest access to town events. Reserve August 17–25 with cancellation, air-conditioning and confirmed late arrival. Regional summer weather is humid and can be rainy; pack a light waterproof layer as well as sun protection.
Ask the municipality about accessible viewing, firm surfaces, toilets and road closures at each site. Temporary coastal stages and crowded parades require more detail than a general city accessibility statement.
Booking comparison
These services are independent of the festival:
- ✈️ Compare flights to Rize–Artvin
- 🏨 Compare Arhavi hotels
- 🎟️ Check secondary event tickets
- 🧭 Browse Türkiye activities
- 🚕 Compare airport transfers
- 🚗 Compare rental cars
- 📱 Compare Türkiye eSIM plans
- 🛡️ Review flight disruption support
Sources and final check
- CIOFF profile: https://www.cioff.org/festival/turkey/5103
- Official festival site: https://festival.arhavi.bel.tr/
- Official 2026 programme: https://festival.arhavi.bel.tr/festival-programi/
- Official history: https://festival.arhavi.bel.tr/about/
- Arhavi Municipality: https://arhavi.bel.tr/
Hero image: a licensed Artvin Province landscape, not Arhavi or the event. Recheck the municipal 2027 programme, locations, admission, traffic and accessibility before release.
Featured image credit: Photo by Özgür Levent via Pexels. The image is representative and is not presented as documentary evidence from this event.