The traditional “Ozankoy Pekmez Festival” organised by the Municipality of Girne and Ozanköy Muhtarlığı starts on Friday, August 31st at 7pm.
The aim of the festival is to contribute to the tourist promotion of Ozanköy, to ensure the continuity of carob production and to encourage the consumption of molasses, and will continue until 2nd of September. During the festival cultural and artistic activities will take place, and products of the carob – molasses and the mandarin will be distributed. The festival will be held at the entrance of the village for trial purposes this year.
A press conference was recently held at Girne Art Gallery for the purpose of introducing the 10th Ozankoy Pekmez Festival being held this year. Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü, Ozanköy President Mustafa Uzun, members of the municipal council and representatives from the organisation committee of the festival attended the meeting.
Girne Mayor, Nidai Güngördü, made a speech at the meeting and pointed out that production needs to continue in order to exist in our country which is going through an economically difficult period and said that they made an income by making molasses and similar products in Ozanköy. Nidai Güngördü stated that this year’s festival theme is to promote domestic production, encourage and use domestic products. Güngördü urged everyone to come to the festival.
Ozanköy Mukhtar, Mustafa Uzun, stated that the festival has been moved from the village square this year due to the traffic congestion and is now at the entrance of the village on the western side, Dr Fazıl Küçük Caddesi.
Girne Municipality Councillor, Mehmet Nur Ateş, remarked that those who will come to the festival will find friendship and sincerity and said that the festival will give our people morale during these difficult days we are passing through.
Sevgül Yanaroğlu, who is on the festival committee, stated that the molasses, which was gradually decreasing in the village, has increased since the festival started 10 years ago.
FESTIVAL PROGRAM
The festival will open at 7pm on Friday, August 31st. The Hot Club of Cyprus concert will take place at 7:30 pm after the opening ceremony for the festival. Girne Municipality Folk Dance Group Show will start at 8:15pm, ‘Poet Osman Turkay’ life and poetry presentation will be at about 8:30pm. Hikmet Kurtaricilar will perform at 9:15pm.
On Saturday, September 1st, there will be Erce Güner music concert at 7pm, Çatalköy Municipality Folk Dance Ensemble Folk Dance Show at 8pm, Northern Tarık Show at 8.15pm and Cyprus Folk Dances and Art Centre show at 9pm. On the same night at 9:15pm a concert by the group Baria will be held.
On Sunday, September 2nd, a presentation of Benefits of Pekmezin Health and a Pekmezli Dessert Competition will be held, a concert by Tedra at 7:30pm and a show of Sarak Culture and Art Center Folk Dance at 8:30pm will take place. Ebru Aydın will perform the final concert at 9:00pm after the results of the Pekmezli Dessert Competition are announced at 8:45pm.
