Published on
September 27, 2025
Adana is preparing to host the Ninth International Taste of Adana Festival at Merkez Park from October 10–12, 2025, under the evocative theme “From Generation to Generation.” The festival promises to attract over one million visitors with a showcase of local flavors, global culinary talent, and deep-rooted heritage, reinforcing Adana’s bid for UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network–Gastronomy status. Hailed as Türkiye’s premier gastro-tourism event, the festival is set to deliver immersive cultural and gastronomic experiences, positioning Adana as a must-visit destination for both local and international tourists.
Festival Experience: An Immersive Taste of Adana
Set along the scenic Seyhan River, Merkez Park (Central Park) transforms into a vibrant festival grounds spanning thirty-three hectares. Visitors will have free entry to participate in three action-packed days of chef talks, panel discussions, live masterclasses, and food competitions. The agenda also includes youth-friendly workshops, open-air concerts, children’s activities, and hands-on interactive zones, ensuring entertainment and education for all ages.
Adana’s rich culinary landscape, with its fertile Cukurova region and three hundred days of sunshine a year, stands at the festival’s core. Local produce, signature dishes, and artisan techniques will be on full display, blending tradition with contemporary innovation and bridging generations through shared sensory experiences.
Culinary Excellence: From GI Dishes to Michelin-Starred Chefs
A key highlight of the festival is the presentation of Adana’s twenty – three registered geographical indications (GIs). These protected official marks underscore the authenticity and craftsmanship behind signature creations such as Adana kebab, anali kizlisi, sirdan dolmasi, and sweet treats like bici bici and halka tatlisi. At the event, each GI food will be featured with traceability details and producer profiles, ensuring attendees understand the culture, geography, and labor behind every flavor.
The festival’s main stage will spotlight leading national chefs as well as internationally renowned Michelin-starred chefs, who will use regional GI ingredients in culinary demonstrations and inventive fusion dishes, turning Adana into a global meeting point for gastronomic artistry and cross-cultural collaboration.
Sustainable and Inclusive Festival Model
Organizers are committed to sustainable kitchen practices and to advancing women’s entrepreneurship. Last year, nearly fifty women’s cooperatives participated, highlighting the crucial role female producers play in maintaining local food traditions and economic vitality. This focus on inclusivity and community empowerment is central to the festival’s ethos and appeal to responsible tourists.
UNESCO Candidacy: Adana’s Ambition on the Global Stage
This year’s event is especially significant as Adana awaits a decision on its long-running bid to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for Gastronomy. With the application already approved at the Paris stage, final results are due between October 30 and November 13, 2025, during the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand. Achieving this recognition would further boost the city’s international profile, drawing increased culinary tourism and investment, and fostering culture-led development.
Economic and Tourism Impact
In 2024, the festival attracted over eight hundred thousand visitors and generated approximately lira 3.7 billion (dollar eighty-nine million) in economic activity. In 2025, organizers are targeting over one million visitors, anticipating even greater impacts for local businesses, hospitality, artisans, and the broader tourism sector.
The festival’s timing, diversity of programming, and inclusive approach aim to create memorable encounters between guests and local producers, reinforcing Adana’s role as a dynamic city where food, culture, and community meet.
Festival Venue and Visitor Experience
Merkez Park (Central Park), Seyhan District, Adana:
Largest urban green space in Adana, located along the Seyhan River, with views of Sabanci Central MosqueFeatures pools, playgrounds, cycling tracks, skating areas, and a family-friendly mini-trainGondolas run daily for a unique riverside experience
Practical Information:
Dates: October 10–12, 2025Admission: Free (no tickets or registration)Accessibility: Notices for limited-capacity events posted on the festival websiteOn-site: No camping; all ages welcome
