Volunteers join in the citywide It’s My Parks Day in Dag Plaza on Friday, May 19, from 9:30 AM to 1 PM to clean and plant, but there will be no garden meetup on Saturday, May 20, when  thousands of Turkish Americans gather in Hammarskjold Plaza  to celebrate the 40th edition of the Turkish Day Parade. Barricades will be erected early to protect the landscaping. 

One of the largest cultural events to be  staged on the 1.5 acre Plaza,  the  parade  starts at 12:00 noon at 53rd street and Madison Avenue New York and culinates at 47th Street and 2nd Avenue with great ceremony. 

Enjoy Turkish food, shop at Turkish gift vendors and watch musical and dance performances.  Organized by the Federation of Turkish American Association, Inc. (TADF), the year’s  celebration marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey. The parade traditionally  promotes Turkish culture and heritage in the United States. 

Did you know the tulip orignated in Turkey, formerly known as Persia? The tulip is widely depicted in the decorative arts and ceremonial dress. Nobody knows for sure who brought tulips from the Ottoman Empire to Western Europe, but it is credited to an ambassador of the Habsburg Empire in Constantinople (Istanbul) who brought some tulip bulbs to Vienna. Botanist Carolus Clusius increased the popularity of tulips in the late 16th century.