Calendar / Witness / Attend in Konya
ReasonToGo · activity-first travel discovery. Honest timing. No bookings, no commissions, no one pays to rank. How we choose →
Witness / Attend in Konya
Dec 7–17, 2026Expected
Scheduled and sanctioned by T.C. Kultur ve Turizm Bakanligi (Ministry of Culture and Tourism).
Dates & details verified against: National tourism board ↗
Why go
The whirling dervishes exist in stage versions across Turkey, but Konya is the source: Rumi is buried here, the Mevlevi order formed here, and the sema ceremony, UNESCO-inscribed intangible heritage, is performed in its devotional context at the Mevlana Cultural Center, weekly through the year and at full intensity during Seb-i Arus, the December commemoration of Rumi's death that the tradition calls his wedding night. The 2026 edition, the 753rd, runs December 7 to 17, a full evening liturgy of Quran recitation, Sufi music, and the turning itself. It is a ceremony you attend rather than a show you watch, and the difference is the point.
When it runs
Runs December 7 to 17 annually.
- Dec 7–17, 2026Expected
- Dec 7–17, 2027Expected
- Dec 7–17, 2028Expected
Dates read confirmed where the organizer has published them, and expected where we've projected the recurrence. Always verify with the organizer before booking.
What to expect
The festival runs December 7 to 17 annually, with the final night selling out four to six months ahead through the official channels; weekly sema performances run year-round for flexible dates. December on the plateau is properly cold.
Getting there & around
High-speed rail reaches Konya from Istanbul and Ankara, or fly to Konya (KYA). Book festival tickets months ahead; dress warmly and conservatively for the ceremony.
Where it happens
Konya, Turkey.
Want to go? The full Konya guide: conditions, logistics, providers →