A month-long festival in Hackney celebrating Turkish and Kurdish culture has returned as an in-person event.

Day-Mer Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre’s 33rd culture and arts festival began on Wednesday, June 15, with this the first time it has been held in person since the Covid pandemic began.

Hackney’s longest running festival will culminate with an event at Clissold Park on Sunday, July 3, featuring musicians, food stands and an information stall run by Hackney Council.

A Day-Mer spokesperson said: “Our festival brings together, not just the Turkish and Kurdish speaking community, but people from all backgrounds.

“In the last two years, following the outbreak of the Covid pandemic across the world, we have had to hold our festival online.

“This was on the back of organising festivals continuously since 1989 despite all kinds of obstacles and hardships.”

Councillor Humaira Garasia, speaker of Hackney, was among those to give speeches at the opening event of this year’s festival, praising Day-Mer's impact on London's Turkish-speaking community.

Day-Mer was founded 33 years ago to support Turkish and Kurdish people living in London, helping to promote their social and economic rights.

Visit daymer.org for more festival details.