The 26th International Fethiye Ölüdeniz Air Games Festival will take place from Oct. 21 to 25, with five days of paragliding, skydiving and aerobatic shows over the coast of the southwestern resort, Fethiye Municipality announced on Oct. 13.
The programme was set out at a coordination meeting chaired by Deputy Mayor Oğuz Bolelli. The festival opens on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 16:00 in the event area on Belcekız Beach in Ölüdeniz.
Shows over Ölüdeniz
Ölüdeniz, about 15 kilometres south of Fethiye town, is one of the world’s best-known paragliding sites, with pilots launching from Babadağ mountain, which rises almost 2,000 metres above the lagoon, and landing on the beach below.
Throughout the festival, Belcekız Beach will host speed-flying, free-fall parachute jumps and wingsuit shows, as well as paragliding acrobatics competitions. The acrobatics finals are scheduled for Oct. 25 at 09:00, followed by the awards ceremony at 12:00.
Turkish Stars and night flights at Çalış
The Turkish Stars, the Turkish Air Force’s aerobatic demonstration team, will hold a rehearsal flight over Çalış Beach on Oct. 24 at 15:30 and their display flight at the same spot and time on Oct. 25. Çalış, on the northern side of Fethiye Bay, is popular with British residents and is known for its sunset views.
Çalış will also host LED-lit motorised paragliding shows on Oct. 22 at 17:30 and Oct. 23 at 18:30.
In the town centre, the Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) will run daily hot-air balloon display flights in Beşkaza Square from Oct. 21 to 25, along with motorised paragliding shows at set times. Model-aircraft workshops for children are planned for Oct. 21, 22 and 23 from 10:00 to 11:30 in front of the Özer Olgun Cultural Centre.
Evening concerts
The festival includes free evening entertainment. Rock band Ayna plays on Oct. 21 at 21:00. Metehan Olgun and Yasin Mede will play DJ sets on Oct. 22 at 19:30 and Oct. 23 at 21:30, with singer Onur Asilkılıç performing on Oct. 23 at 20:30. A further DJ performance is scheduled for Oct. 24 at 19:30.
Tips for visitors
Late October is shoulder season on the Lycian coast, with warm days and fewer crowds than in summer, and many hotels and restaurants in Ölüdeniz stay open for the festival. Shows are weather-dependent, and organisers have said some balloon and paramotor flights will take place at times to be announced. Visitors wanting to watch the acrobatics close up should head to Belcekız Beach, while Çalış is the main viewpoint for the Turkish Stars display. Dalaman Airport, about an hour’s drive away, is the nearest international gateway.
Sources
Photo: Rapsar / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
