Çağlak Festival is being held in Manisa’s Akhisar district every year in may. The first one was held in 1459 and it is still being held by the Municipality of Akhisar. After the Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling festival it is the second oldest festival that is still being held. This important festival has a valuable story that reflects the culture and history of the region that’s being held in. Sheikh Isa from Akhisar, who is supposed to have lived in the 15th century, is an important person loved and respected by the people of the region, and he goes to many cities of Anatolia for educational purposes both to improve himself and to share what he has learned with his surroundings. The last time he went for educational purposes, the people of Akhisar supposedly waited for 17 days at Çağlak Creek to wait for his return and greet him. Celebrating their return as a festival, the public then turns it into a cultural activity that is held regularly every year. The festival that was organized continues to be celebrated throughout the years and continues to be celebrated as a festival in its updated form today. There is a school, neighborhood and mosque named after the scholar Sheikh Isa, who is important for the people of the region. These festivities, which have continued for years, still continue today, but have gained a new dimension. The content of this festival, which is held in May every year, is enriched with concerts and entertaining events. In this way, new generations both learn this cultural element and become involved in this tradition.
