Gelenekten Geleceğe Uluslararası Arhavi Kültür ve Sanat Festivali
International Arhavi Culture and Art Festival from Tradition to Future

Summary/Abstract: In developed countries, culture is one of the key elements of tourism. Countries are organising their natural, historical and cultural heritage to promote sustainable economic development and are presenting it as an alternative experience for visitors. In the 21st century, one of the key factors distinguishing countries from one another is their uniqueness. In this context, festivals, celebrations and feasts are of great importance as a source of uniqueness in traditional Turkish life and entertainment culture. Festivals, which are shaped either to celebrate the arrival of spring or are linked to a specific crop, animal or belief in the calendar, are kept alive and sustained by the people. Festivals serve a variety of social, psychological, historical, political, cultural and economic functions. In this respect, the festival serves as a stage reflecting aspects of folk life. It is well known that, just as with rural festivals, many festivals are now held in urban areas. These festivals bear traces of rural life. Festivals organised at specific times of the year for any purpose are significant events in terms of advertising and promotion. Playing a key role in establishing and maintaining social relationships, these festivals revitalise the local economy through the promotion of rural culture and ancillary elements such as travel, accommodation and catering. Located on the Black Sea coast, Arhavi is a district whose economy is centred on agriculture, livestock farming and trade, alongside various related industries and sectors. Tea cultivation, the tea industry and fishing play a significant role in Arhavi’s economy. The district’s natural, historical and cultural features highlight its potential for tourism. In this regard, the Arhavi festivals, which are held annually and possess traditional characteristics, are worthy of examination from the perspective of cultural tourism. This article examines the International Arhavi Culture and Arts Festival, held annually in the Arhavi district of Artvin province, drawing on the relationship between cultural tourism and the culture of entertainment. The article aims to determine the festival’s history, structure and place within cultural tourism, and to evaluate its social, cultural and economic functions. The article examines the relationship between Arhavi festivals and traditional culture, as well as the roles they play in promoting the town within contemporary modern life. Employing a qualitative research method, the data collection process involved fieldwork, naturalistic and participant observation techniques, with the resulting data analysed through descriptive analysis.

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