Kargı Fair
The Kargı Fair (locally “Asırlık Kargı Panayırı”, the “age-old Kargı fair”), held every year by Kargı Municipality in the Kargı district of northern Çorum, is one of the region’s most deeply rooted folk events. It is listed on the official local-events calendar of the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism as the “Age-old Kargı Fair Festivities”, an October event.
History
The fair is consistently described in local and national press as an “age-old tradition” or a tradition “held for over a century”; one news source states it has been “held for centuries”. However, no primary record giving the fair’s exact founding date has been found, so its age should be reported cautiously, in the terms the sources use, as “over a century”. Throughout its history the fair has remained the district’s principal gathering for trade, wrestling and entertainment.
When and Where It Is Held
Today the fair is usually held in October, over a period ranging from a few days to ten days, and most often closes with the 29 October Republic Day celebrations; exact dates are set by Kargı Municipality’s annual announcements. The opening ceremony takes place at Saat Kulesi Meydanı (Clock Tower Square) in the district centre; the fair’s most popular event, the oil wrestling competition, is held at Kargı Çayırı, where in recent years hundreds of wrestlers, including dozens of baş pehlivan (chief wrestlers), have competed. In connection with the district’s highland (yayla) tradition, concerts are also reported to be held for the public at Abdullah Yaylası as part of the fair — showing that the event is not confined to the district centre alone but extends to the surrounding highlands.
Today’s Programme
Alongside the oil wrestling, the fair’s programme includes folk concerts, a motorcycle festival, a “Beetle” (Volkswagen) car gathering, a paragliding display, a fireworks show, sports events and competitions, the promotion of local Kargı specialities (such as tulum cheese, rice and tarhana), and stalls for traditional produce and handicrafts. The events are organised under the leadership of Kargı Municipality and are open to both district residents and visitors from neighbouring provinces. In 2023, most of that year’s concert and entertainment programme was cancelled owing to that period’s developments, and the fair was held with a more modest opening.
Related Pages
For the highland (yayla) and nature heritage around Kargı, see Abdullah Yaylası and Kargı Yaylası; for Çorum’s overall festival calendar, see Çorum Festivals and Events.
Sources
- Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism — Local Events
- TRT Haber — Çorum’s age-old Kargı Fair has begun (24 October 2023)
- Cumhuriyet — Çorum’s 10-day ‘Kargı Fair’ begins (21 October 2025)
- Taşköprü Postası — The date of the age-old Kargı fair is set (31 July 2025)
Frequently asked questions
When is the Kargı Fair held?
On the official local-events calendar of the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the 'Age-old Kargı Fair Festivities' are listed as an October event. According to Kargı Municipality's yearly announcements, exact dates vary from year to year; in recent years it has generally run for several days to ten days, from mid to late October.
How long has the Kargı Fair been held?
Press coverage consistently describes the fair as an 'age-old tradition' held for 'over a century'; however, no primary source giving an exact founding date has been found. The fair's age should therefore be reported cautiously as 'over a century', as it appears in the sources.
What happens at the Kargı Fair?
Its fixed centrepiece is the oil wrestling competition (at Kargı Çayırı), usually featuring hundreds of wrestlers. Alongside it are folk concerts, stalls for local produce and handicrafts, sports events, and in recent years additions such as a motorcycle festival and a paragliding display; the fair usually closes with the 29 October Republic Day celebrations.
What is the fair's connection to Abdullah Yaylası?
The fair's opening ceremony and main events take place in the district centre (Saat Kulesi Meydanı, Kargı Çayırı); in connection with the district's highland (yayla) tradition, concerts are also reported to be held at Abdullah Yaylası as part of the fair.