
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality’s Agricultural Services Department provided an unforgettable day for the people of Mersin with the third Narcissus Festival this year. The event, organized in Pirömerli Neighborhood Kayrenkuyu Area with the slogan “This festival smells wonderful,” offered participants a nature, culture and fun atmosphere accompanied by the unique scent of narcissus flowers. More than 20 thousand citizens attended the festival thanks to the beautiful weather, schools being on mid-term break and the intense interest of the local people.
Participants and Event Space: An Activity for Everyone
The event was enlivened with the participation of important figures such as CHP Mersin Deputy Hasan Ufuk Çakır, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General Ali Rıza Özdemir, as well as neighborhood headmen and many citizens. Metropolitan Municipality Agricultural Services Department Head Selçuk Şahutoğlu and producers came together to celebrate the daffodil harvest and preparations were completed in the festival area before the festival.
During the festival, various units of the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality also actively participated in the field. The Women and Family Services Department set up stands selling many products from local products to handicrafts, offering participants different tastes and gifts. Drawing and painting workshops were organized for children, where participants painted against the landscape accompanied by Tarsus painters Nurettin Gözen and Lütfi Hasoğlu.
Fun and Sports: An Activity for All Ages
The Department of Youth and Sports Services organized various events to encourage children to do sports. While children spent their energy on inflatable playgrounds and had a great time, their parents had the opportunity to taste boiling tea and spicy delicacies from social services stands. Mersin Water and Sewerage Administration (MESKİ) teams also included awareness-raising activities on water conservation in the event.
Daffodil Bouquet Competition: Colourful Start of the Event
The festival started with the main theme of the daffodil bouquet competition. Participants won prizes by preparing the most beautiful daffodil bouquets. Local dances and the concert of the Turkish Folk Music Group provided fun moments for the participants. The Metropolitan Municipality's folk dance group presented a show that added color to the festival and citizens created a pleasant atmosphere by dancing halay.
Smiles on Producers’ Faces: A Promotional Opportunity for Daffodil Producers
The Narcissus Festival, which was held for the 3rd time this year, provided a great promotion opportunity for narcissus producers. Producers who participated in the festival had the opportunity to introduce and sell their products to a wider audience. Narcissus producer Kurtuluş Dönmez shared his satisfaction with the event by stating that he sold all of his products after the festival and that everyone was happy. Kamile Özdemir stated that the festival is more crowded every year and that this is a great gain for producers.
Social Awareness and Support for Producers: Contributions by Vahap Seçer
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer said that the event grows bigger every year and that such organizations contribute greatly to producers. CHP Mersin Deputy Hasan Ufuk Çakır emphasized the producers' search for markets and the importance of cooperatives, and stated that the festival helped daffodil producers increase their income. He stated that the Metropolitan Municipality both celebrates nature and supports producers with such events.
Citizens are happy: Unity and solidarity
The event also brought smiles to the faces of the participants. Meltem Gündüz, who came from Mersin city center, stated that there were activities suitable for people of all ages at the festival and that she liked the event very much. Rahim Tunç, who came from Tarsus, said that he found the festival perfect and that everything was considered. Serpil Kösel appreciated that such events support the tradesmen in the villages and stimulate the local economy.
Narcissus Festival, A Meeting of Nature and Society
The 3rd Narcissus Festival organized by Mersin Metropolitan Municipality had a great meaning for both producers and participants as an event where nature and labor came together. The festival went beyond being just a flower festival and became an organization where agriculture and producers were supported and the society celebrated being together. It was an important step in introducing Mersin's cultural and agricultural riches, creating new opportunities for producers and ensuring that citizens could integrate with each other.