Hidirellez 2026 & 2027: Kakava Festival Dates in Edirne

✓ Last reviewed: 29 September 2026 — Verified and updated by İlyas Bayrak, licensed Turkish guide (licence 070867), with the My Turkey Adventure editorial team. Prices, opening hours, transport fares and visa rules reflect the latest 2026 guidance. Hıdırellez dates Year Eve (wishes are made) Day 2026 5 May 6 May 2027 5 May 6 May 2028 5 May 6 May Hıdırellez always falls on the night of 5–6 May. Edirne's Kakava festival is the largest celebration, and Hıdırellez is also marked in Istanbul (Ahırkapı), Kırklareli and many Anatolian villages. Travelling in early May? Plan a private tour around the festival . Quick Answer: The kakava festival edirne is the largest and most vibrant Romani spring celebration in Türkiye, taking place annually on May 5 and 6. It centers around a massive ceremonial bonfire lit on the Sarayici peninsula on the first evening, followed by a deeply symbolic dawn ritual where participants wash in the Tunca River to welcome the spring awakening. This completely free street festival is a profound expression of Thracian music, 9/8 dance rhythms, and centuries-old cultural heritage. Fact Detail Dates May 5 (evening fire) and May 6 (dawn river ritual) annually Location Edirne, primarily the Sarayici peninsula by the Tunca River Cost Completely free (public street festival) Duration Two days of intensive celebration UNESCO Status Inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (as part of Hidirellez) Core Events Lighting the giant Kakava fire, traditional Roma music, dawn river washing Best Time to Arrive Early afternoon on May 5 to secure a spot near the fire What is the Kakava Festival in Edirne? The Kakava Festival is a historic spring celebration preserved by the Romani communities of the Thrace region. While much of Türkiye and the Balkans celebrate the arrival of spring under various names, Kakava represents the specific, vibrant expression of the Roma people in Edirne. The festival marks the awakening of nature