Donkey Day fun
DONKEYS earn their keep tomorrow, when the ninth Büyükkonuk Donkey Day showcases a traditional Karpaz lifestyle — and promises a great day out for the whole family.
Donkey rides will be on offer all day alongside the chance for young visitors from town to pet baby chicks and rabbits and even win a prize rooster in a raffle.
The annual event aims to showcase all aspects of village production and has featured prize pigeons, turkeys, a doublehorned ram, lambs, kids and even a couple of horses alongside local donkeys for short rides along the main street.
About 27 stalls open at 10am offering garden produce and flowers, olive oil, jams, honey and carob syrup, home-made soap, traditional breads, sweets and pastries, handicrafts and a charity stall.
Kebabs will also be on sale alongside traditional food from local bed-and-breakfast establishments where an overnight stay may also be arranged.
A midday-until-1pm music programme features traditional folk music and dancing by village youngsters and Cyprus songs performed by the local eco-tourism association ladies’ choir.
The event takes place until 5pm at the Büyükkonuk Eco Association marketplace and headquarters at the edge of the village, on the road to Yedikonuk. Crowds are urged to attend despite an internet storm which greeted mayor Ahmet Sennaroğlu’s public opposition to Afrika newspaper amid violent protest last week over its reporting of Turkey’s Afrin operation.
Association head Kıymet Alibey said: “Our vision continues for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle and we hope that everyone will turn out to support us.
“The Donkey Day is organised every year by us with support from the municipality for infrastructure services and we hope that the recent demonstrations in the capital and our mayor’s comments will not spoil the event.
“To those Turkish Cypriots who have suggested a boycott [over the controversy], I can only say that mayors come and go but we will be here forever!”
Overnight accommodation at wooden chalets at the municipality-owned Pine View facility may be arranged by phoning Nurullah Öztürk at the local authority on 0548 853 6103. The village’s Ramazan Aşut Guesthouse is also open for overnight reservations on 0533 860 4861.
Büyükkonuk Municipality has also announced the date of its Spring Eco-Day Festival, set to take place on Sunday, May 6.
Traditional baked delicacies including sesame çörek, hellim bread and biscuits with raisins and terabinth berries known as şino bitta.