Children Loved This Fair

The 95th İzmir International Fair is hosting a wide range of colorful activities where children can have a wonderful time. Arriving at Kültürpark hand in hand with their families, young visitors are enjoying the fair through numerous activities, from painting and dancing to beloved cartoon characters and virtual experiences.

İzmir’s nearly century-old tradition continues to thrive at Kültürpark. Despite advancing technology and the changing conditions of the times, the joy and excitement children experience at the fair continue to be passed down from generation to generation. Young visitors to the 95th İzmir International Fair can be seen drawing with crayons in one corner and dancing to music in another. A little farther away, some are exploring the world of dinosaurs, while others eagerly wait for their favorite characters to take the stage.

With activities specially designed for children, the İzmir International Fair gives its youngest visitors a fair experience of their very own. Areas created especially for younger age groups also turn the fair into a different kind of experience for families. Rather than simply accompanying their parents around the fair, children become active participants in activities designed specifically for them.

They Take Center Stage at This Fair

The children’s activity areas set up at the Zeytin Stage Lawn welcome children aged three and above between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Here, children paint, play games, dance, compete, meet beloved characters and take part in a variety of experiences. The excitement of young visitors rushing from one activity to another fills the area throughout the day.

The fair is becoming not only a destination where adults can enjoy concerts, arts and cultural events, and sightseeing, but also a meeting point where children can create their own program and enjoy the fair in their own way.

Yesterday’s Children Are Here Today With Their Own Children

For parents sharing in their children’s excitement, the fair holds another special meaning. İzmir residents who once visited Kültürpark as children are now walking through the same gates hand in hand with their own children.

One of them is 29-year-old Gizem Karadere. Recalling her childhood visits to the fair, Karadere said she now shows photographs from those years to her six-year-old son, Kayra. Rather than comparing the past with the present, she believes every generation experiences its own excitement at the fair.

“We had so much fun back then too, but today’s children are also having a great time with these activity areas. At least when you look at it, they are still away from technology here. There’s painting, music, dancing—everything. We really enjoyed ourselves today. We waited for Niloya and Gupi. We’re going to meet every one of them,” she said.

Adding His Own Memories to His Mother’s

Six-year-old Kayra Karadere, who looks curiously at photographs from his mother’s childhood, is now creating memories of his own at Kültürpark. After coloring an Angry Birds picture and proudly showing off his work, Kayra answered “Yes” when asked whether he was having fun in the activity area.

His first comment about the fair, however, was even clearer: “I love the fair.”

“This Year’s Activities Are Better”

Gizem Gündüz, who visited the fair with her child, also said that the children’s activities are among the most important attractions for families. Noting that they also attended the fair last year, Gündüz said:

“We’re having so much fun. There are great activities. I think this year’s activities are better than last year’s. There are mascots and things like that, which have made it even better. My child is having a great time too. The concepts have changed quite a lot, and everything is much more active and entertaining, with a stronger visual spectacle.”

They Came From Torbalı So Their Children Could Have Fun

The appeal of the children’s activities extends beyond the city center to İzmir’s surrounding districts. Sedat Karaağaç traveled with his family from Torbalı to Kültürpark so that his children could experience the excitement of the fair.

“We came from Torbalı, İzmir. It took us an hour to get here. We brought the children so they could have some fun. The fair existed when we were children too, but we never had the chance to come. First, we ate in the food area, and then we brought our child here for the entertainment. Right now, our child is painting. We’ll continue walking around. We won’t stay for the concert, but at least our child will have had a good time,” Karaağaç said.

A World Stretching From Crayons to Virtual Reality

Children have a wide range of experiences to explore at the fair. At the Dinoverse Dinosaur Experience Area, they discover the world of dinosaurs through virtual reality technology, while the Hot Wheels Experience Area offers everything from games and themed slides to ramp activities.

At the Barbie-Themed Activity Area, children can take part in cycling, horse riding, painting, basketball and football activities, while the Barbie Dance Studio brings music and movement together. At the Angry Birds Fun Zone, children can enjoy coloring, target games, giant puzzles and games featuring foam blocks.

The Moment They’ve Been Waiting For: Beloved Characters Take the Stage

One of the most exciting moments of the fair for children is the chance to meet the characters they know from the screen. Alongside Gupi and Kucho, performances featuring popular productions and characters such as Jurassic Age, the Smurfs, Robocar Poli, and Masha and the Bear are presented to young audiences.

While some children wait eagerly in front of the stage for their favorite character to appear, others head straight to another activity area as soon as a show ends.

Generations grow up, and the world of children continues to change. Yet at the İzmir International Fair, new memories are added to that timeless childhood excitement year after year.