April 18, 2015, Albuquerque, NM – More than three thousand people attended the 3rd Annual Turkish Festival in Albuquerque, organized by the New Mexico chapter of the Raindrop Foundation.
Among those who attended were Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, Chairman of the City Council Reymundo Garduno, Councilmembers Isaac Benton, Diana Gibson, State Representative Georgene Louis, State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino and former New Mexico Secretary of Treasury James Lewis. Throughout the festival, the guests had the chance to sample Turkish cuisine, including Turkish doner, shish kebab, baklava, Turkish coffee, as well as gozleme, borek and stuffed grapes prepared by community volunteers. Moreover, the stand showcasing various cultural items brought from Turkey, remained crowded throughout the day, as guests showed great interest.
Those who attended the festival had a chance to hear the amazing story of Nakul Deshpande, who taught himself how to play saz and kemence (both traditional string instruments). Mr Deshpande pleased the guests’ ears with his amazing performances as well.
The festival, aside from being on the front page headline of Albuquerque’s top newspaper, Albuquerque Journal, was covered extensively by the press. Mayor Richard Berry proposed that the festival be held at the Civic Plaza, which also houses the Albuquerque city government.
Raindrop Foundation, which has 17 chapters in 6 states, expanded into Albuquerque only 5 years ago. Despite it’s youth, the organization has enjoyed much attention from city residents, which can mostly be attributed to frequently held vibrant, entertaining events, such as the Turkish Festival.
