What is the Adana Orange Blossom Carnival?
The Adana International Orange Blossom Carnival is a public street festival named and timed for the orange blossom around Adana in early April. Its organisers bill it as Turkey's first street carnival. It includes:
- A costumed parade through closed central streets
- Concerts and street performance
- Food events across the city
It is a daytime festival with an evening programme, aimed at families and visitors from across Turkey and abroad.
When is the Adana Orange Blossom Carnival?
Early April each year, when the blossom is out. The 14th edition ran from 1 to 5 April 2026. Dates for each edition are announced by the organisers.
How many people attend the Adana carnival?
Turkish press reports range from hundreds of thousands to around 1.5 million for recent editions, and one analysis put its economic contribution at about 8 billion lira. No audited attendance figure from the organisers has been found, so treat the press figures as a range.
How to get to Adana for the carnival
By plane
Adana has its own airport with domestic flights, including from Istanbul. For a weekend from Istanbul, flying is the practical option.
By rail or bus
Adana is on the intercity rail and bus network serving the Cukurova region.
In the city
The carnival is walkable in the centre. Avoid driving into the centre on parade day, when the main streets close.
Is the Adana Orange Blossom Carnival free?
Yes, the parade and street programme are free. Individual concerts in the wider programme are ticketed by their own organisers. The main costs are travel and a hotel room, and central Adana's rooms are scarce that weekend.
Adana is one of Turkey's leading food cities, but its restaurants are at their busiest on the carnival weekend.
