Many theatre players, actor, actress, singer and painter were born in Balıkesir. Most known are; •
Fikret Hakan –
Actor •
Şevket Altuğ - Actor •
Necdet Tosun -
Actor •
Tamer Yigit -
Actor •
İlker Ayrık -
Actor •
Barış Falay - Actor •
Hande Erçel -
Actress and model •
Zerrin Tekindor -
Actress and artist •
Tuğçe Kazaz -
Actress and model Memorial days The major memorial days of Balıkesir are
Hıdrellez, The Liberation Day and also
The Remembrance Day of Local Combat. Hıdrellez is by tradition celebrated in the first week of May for those who live in Balıkesir. Today, it is the fulfillment of a religious ritual that is celebrated as a day of goodness. The night on the streets there is a fire, and one of the traditions is to jump over the fire seven times. That night going to such green and restful areas as
Değirmenboğazı and
Balıkesir Park or near the religious area like tombs is also a ritual of Hıdrellez. People wish midnight and meet there. Accordingly, Hıdrellez day people have offerings. Drawing a picture of something that is desired to land or stone is determined. Individuals seeking goods put money into a red purse and hang it on a tree. On the other hand, those wishing for a baby type the name or draws baby figure on the ground. These rituals are traditions of Hıdrellez. One of the superstitions is that if someone takes a shower that night, he or she is protected from all diseases. Hıdrellez is a kind of
Newroz or Spring New Years.
The Liberation Day from the enemy occupation of Balıkesir is on the 6th of September 1922, which every year is celebrated as a local holiday. There is a celebration parade and celebratory ceremony, the ceremony takes place on Stadium Street. In the past, the previous night of the 6th of September, the main streets of Balıkesir were washed with eau de cologne which is an aromatic lily, because lilies are a symbol of Balıkesir. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm, as for two or three days, the people would come from nearby villages and districts to celebrate. On the morning of the first day of the celebrations, people coming into Balıkesir would picnic in advance of the festival, at Balıkesir Park. During the festival evening, a great torchlight procession is organized. The
TülüTabaklar show which is an important event unique to the city, is when people dressed up as the TülüTabaklar who were local heroes that resisted the enemies for 14 months during the
Turkish War of Independence, as they were tanners and would dress up in goat or sheepskin with horsetails, chimney soot, bells and staff in order to present a frightening appearance.
The Remembrance Day of Local Combat is called
Kuvayi Milliye Haftası in Turkish which is organized between 16 and 23 May. The great success with 41 Balıkesirer people met at Alaca Mescit and they have managed the region such as a state and gained a military victory in 1922. 15 May 1919, after the capture of İzmir by the Greeks, Balıkesir is the first place in Turkey that the reaction of Balıkesir had shown by declared Redd-i Ilhak (Disclamation of Annexation). In 1919, the city of
Balikesir Congress was met five times.
Greek soldiers on 30 June 1920 was occupied Balıkesir. By had opened
Ayvalik-
İvrindi-
Soma-Balikesir-front, Balıkesir had its liberation. Traditional folk dancers in Balikesir
Cuisine Balıkesir's local cheese, called
Kelle Peyniri, is known in European countries and exported
France,
Germany and
Britain. It is a
granular type of cheese.
Hoşmerim which is made from cheese and egg is the popular dessert of this city. Many old Turkmen dishes (like
keşkek, güveç, tirit, mantı, kaymaklı) are composed of Balıkesir cuisine. Etli çorba is another dish common in Balıkesir. It is similar to kelle paça (
Khash) and
düğün çorbası, and is a calorie-dense soup with lots of fats and meat. Souvenirs The main souvenir of the city is
lily cologne and
hoşmerim. Balıkesir's Turkmen carpets (called
Yağcıbedir) are another popular local good. Sındırgı is a region popular for the weaving of this Turkish carpets. The rugs of Yağcıbedir are among the most prized in the country.
Traditional folk dances Balıkesir is a historical folkloric dance source. Balıkesir's historical folkloric dance is most popular in Turkey and academical searching.
Bengi, Guvende and Balikesir Zeybeği are a typical dance of this city. These dances' figures spread throughout Balıkesir plainness. Also, Balikesir's
ballads are popular in Turkey.
Akpınar, Mendili Oyaladım, Karyolamın Demiri are some ballads sing by women surround Balikesir city. Like these woman ballads, on the other hand, have dance figures in terms of traditional dancing. Although Balıkesir is an industrial region, traditional village culture is superb and deeply. So, for folk culture, Balıkesir is an important area in Turkey. Balıkesir's local dance came to first in
Nice folk festival joined 21 countries at 1958 be of value by European academical folklore authorities. Also, Balıkesir's local
zeibek dance was
the first zeibek participation from Turkey which had seen European folk authorities. Nowadays, Balıkesir folklore is chosen "
intangible cultural heritage" of Turkey by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. == 2025 earthquake ==