October 29th is Republic Day in Turkey, a national holiday, commemorating the declaration of the modern Republic of Turkey in 1923. This explains the multitude of Turkish flags and images of Kemal Ataturk (first President and founding father) which are visible everywhere in the city.
On the morning of Republic Day we heard the sound of a marching band approaching. We had to investigate. They were marching along the harbor towards the city, and we followed as they wound their way through several neighborhoods and finally marched into the municipal stadium. A large crowd had already gathered and the field was set for the day's festivities, which included a number of speeches, patriotic anthems, all punctuated with enthusiastic flag waving. Dancers in traditional costumes performed on the field, while vendors were busy selling flags and snacks on the street.
During the evening, concerts were held at a harbor side stage near where we were staying. Again the emphasis was on patriotic anthems and more enthusiastic flag waving.
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