A FESTIVAL WHICH DEDICATED TO PEOPLE IN ISTANBUL: SPRING AND FLOWER FESTIVAL

Since 1950, by the enterprise led by Governor of Istanbul, Fahrettin Kerim Gökay, the celebrations for the Festival of Spring and Flower had begun for the entertainment of inhabitants and coming of them together. Although there isn’t clear information about exactly how many years it was celebrated, in the research, it was identified that it was celebrated until 1962. During Spring and Flower Festival, there were several activities for the people to entertain and spend joyful times. In the clubs and entertainment venues, apart from the concerts of singers, shows by puppets, Karagöz, jugglers, theatre-in-the-round and other shows; the competitions, opening of numerous exhibitions and the foundation of a Lunapark for the purpose of entertaining children in a section of Gülhane Park had given a novel touch to the festival. Although, the Spring and Flower Festival provided chance for the socialization and contact of people with cultural entertainment and activities offered to the public, there was inadequacies in terms of damage it had given to historical Gülhane Park where the Festival was organized. During the celebrations, a newspaper was issued for a short period of term under the title of “Spring and Flower Festival” in order that the activities of Festival were declared for the informing of Turkish people about the recent developments.