Turkish Day Parade
May 17, 2025.
The Federation of Turkish American Associations hosted its 42nd annual Turkish Day Parade, starting at 38th Street on Madison Avenue and concluding at Madison Square Park.
The parade’s most colorful spectacle was the march performed by the mehter, an Ottoman-Turkish military band dressed in traditional uniforms, who then performed music and chants for the audience.
Drawing thousands of participants each year, the Turkish Day Parade is a vibrant celebration of unity among Turkish Americans seeking to strengthen their cultural and economic ties. Yet it also reflects the layered, often conflicting identities of ethnic minorities living in New York and across the United States. It is a day of pride — of being Turkish, Muslim, and part of a resilient diaspora — set against a national backdrop where anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim policies continue to threaten marginalized communities. At the same time, the parade serves as a subtle mirror to Turkey’s own political climate, where rising right-wing nationalism and President Erdoğan’s tightening authoritarian grip raise difficult questions. Even Erdoğan’s controversial March arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, did not dampen the spirit of Turkish New Yorkers, who came together to honor their heritage and roots.
