What To Do in North Cyprus...

The Hash House Harriers Meet
Runners and fast walkers keen to join the North Cyprus Hash House Harriers are invited to head east from Kyrenia, pass the Acapulco Spa Resort, & turn up the hill towards the Besparmak Mountains. Keep a lookout for the signs that read "H3". The Harriers will meet on November 1st at 11am if you would like to tag along. For further information ring +90 392 721 3013.

Halloween Market
Carpenter's Craft and Farmer's market on Wednesday will have a Halloween theme and shoppers will get free entry into the Halloween tombola for every five TL they spend. There will be a competition for the best Halloween costume, judging will be at 11 am.
The market is on from 10 am every Wednesday in Karaoglanoglu. Follow the Carpenter's sign from the main road.

Ballroom Dance classes
Anyone wishing to emulate Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse can sashay along to Chateau Lambousa for some lessons. Beginner's and improver's sessions are held under the tutelage of Grahame Ash who competed at professional level in North London. Classes for beginners start at 7pm on Sundays and end at 7.45. Improvers classes are from 7.45 to 8.30. For more information call Grahame Ash on +90 533 8433554.

North Cyprus Events Update

Efes Pilsen Blues Festival

The festival that will showcase the talents of such blues legends as Terry Evans, Ray Schinnery & Shemakia Copeland, will begin at Kyrenia's Jasmine Court Hotel on Wednesday 21st October at 6pm. Tickets are priced at 20TL and are available from the Passport Restaurant in Kyrenia, all branches of Deniz Plaza and the Supreme Supermarket in Catalkoy.

UK Choir in Northern Cyprus

The 60 member choir of Gloucester Choral Society will be performing three concerts in Karaman church starting Sunday 25th October.
Under the baton of musical director Adrian Partington, the choir will perform works by Handel and early Italian and Spanish sacred music, in addition to some lighter, more modern works.
Tickets are priced at 30TL and are available from the Levant Restaurant and village shop in Karaman, or by telephone on 0392 8222 559 or 0533 844 0950. They can also be obtained from the Toros Centre in Nicosia.

The culmination of the choir's visit will be joining the Kyrenia Chamber choir in two performances of Carl Jenkins' 'the Armed Man' in Bellapais Abbey on Wednesday 28th & Friday 30th October at 8:30pm. Tickets for this event are also priced at 30TL and are available from Toros Home Store in Kyrenia & Toros Centre in Nicosia.

North Cyprus Events

Comedy Theatre
Theatre Lambousa has three one act comedies to be performed on three consecutive nights in October. Performances will be held in the Baron's Theatre at Chateau Lambousa at 7.30pm on 22, 23 and 24 October with tickets costing 20TL. See local press for full details or call 0533 8433554 for more info.

Buyukkonuk Village Eco Festival
The fourth consecutive Eco-festival to be held in Buyukkonuk is on October 18th, taking place in the centre of the village at 10am and running until approximately 10pm. It will be a day packed with many things to see and do and will include demonstrations on how to continue the old cypriot crafts of weaving, and basket making. Learn how to make Hellim cheese and carob syrup, or how to sun-dry figs and tomatoes. Maybe even how to make a new traditional Cypriot broom. There will be plenty of local produce on sale and covered stands just in case it rains! This is an enjoyable day out for all the family.

North Cyprus - Current Events - Update

Piano concert
The top concert pianist Corinna Simon will be performing in the Goethe Institute on Friday 25th September. The concert is free and it will contain works by Handel, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. The performance will commence at 8.30pm. The Goethe Institute is located in the buffer zone close to Ledra Palace.

For Jazz lovers
There will be a free concert in lefkosa's Ataturk Cultural Centre on Thursday 24th at 8pm. The performance will be by the New York based Chris Bayers and Ari Roland Jazz Sextet. The performance is sponsored by the US Embassy.

North Cyprus - Current Events

1-The first of a two part exhibition in the newly opened Vahit Guney Exhibition Hall, in the former post office of Kaymakli, is already underway. It is a pioneering showcase for the very best of Turkish Cypriot artists and will display paintings and sculptures created by artists born before 1950. Approximately 21 artists will be displaying their works that have been created in stone, wood and on canvas. The exhibition is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.00 to 12.30 and 16.00 to 18.00 and admission is free.

2. An exhibition entitled "Our Land" displaying watercolours by the well known artist Maxene Shailer will open at the Shayna Beach Club, Catalkoy, Kyrenia on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th September 12.00 to 18.00. Proceeds will go to the SOS orphanage charity.

3. The seventh International North Cyprus Music Festival will begin this coming Wednesday 16th September and will continue in October 16th. Big names from the world of classical music will perform at Bellapais Abbey. All concerts will start at 9pm and tickets for each event are available from Deniz Plaza stores, Dome Hotel, Bellapais ticket office and Kybele restaurant and are priced at 20TL.

4. In late October a 40 person ensemble from Lancashire will visit the TRNC and perform a variety of music from pop to gospel in charity concerts that will climax in a musical extravaganza in the theatre at Salamis on October 30th. See local press for details to be confirmed later.

Event Updates for September

Bitter lemons
The house that Lawrence Durrell bought in Bellapais during the nineteen fifties, and called Bitter Lemons after publication of his 1957 retrospective of the same name, will open its doors to the public on Thursday September 3rd for guided tours that will run every day except Sunday until September 29th. Opening times are between 11.30 and 1pm.
There will be a talk on the life of Lawrence Durrell that gives a perspective to his life while he was resident on the island.
The tours cost 15TL per person, refreshments will be available and in order to attend a tour, be at the door of Bitter Lemons at 11.30 on a tour day to meet Matthew Shorock who will be the guide.

Carmina Burana
A reminder that Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" will be performed in Kyrenia Amphitheatre on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd September. This will be a truly memorable musical treat and even those who do not think they know the music will instantly recognise some of the pieces as they have been used in many TV advertisements. Most particularly for Old Spice aftershave.
150 musicians, choristers and soloists from Germany, Turkey and North Cyprus will be performing in the concerts that start at 8pm. Tickets cost 20TL each and are available from Deniz Plaza shops and Iktisat bank.

Tatlisu Intl. Carob Festival
Planning for the fourth International Carob festival at Tatlisu is well underway and it is due to run from 21st September to 27th. It is hoped that it will be a truly international affair with anyone wishing to play a part being made welcome irrespective of nationality.
There will be a parade at 7pm on the first day, led by an Ottoman style military band and the official opening ceremony conducted by the Prime Ministeer Dervish Eroglu will be held at 7.30pm. Throughout the festival there will be stands the town centre selling a variety of goods and gifts. There will also be exhibitions by folk dancing teams, kite flying competition, Judo and Karate performances, football and wrestling on the beach. So lots of fun for everybody.

Fund Raising Event - Kyrenia

"The Nuremburg Teachers' Union Choir will be giving two fund raising concerts at the Kyrenia Amphitheatre on September 2nd and 3rd. They will be joined by members of the Cyprus Art School and both ensembles will support Izmir's Aegean Philharmonic Orchestra in performing Carl Orff's cantata Carmina Burana.
This will give young classical performers from the TRNC an opportunity to share the stage with a leading international vocalists. Funds raised by both performances will be donated to the Cyprus Turkish Orthopedic Disabled Association and the Ozev Special Education School and rehabilitation Centre.
Tickets cost 25TL and are available from branches of Deniz Plaza and Kyrenia Municipality".