Alaturbi is a Turkish festival celebrated in Akcaabat and Besikdüzü (west of Trabzon

Trabzon

Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...

) on 29 June - 6 July with the participation of Cephni Turkomans

Oghuz Turks

The Turkomen also known as Oghuz Turks were a historical Turkic tribal confederation in Central Asia during the early medieval Turkic expansion....

 in honour of the sea.

The peoples of the Anatolian Pontic coast, east of Trabzon from Samsun

Samsun

Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...

 to Rize Pazar, hold the celebration on 20 May (or 7 May in the Hegirian calendar); and in Sürmene

Sürmene

Sürmene is a town and a district of Trabzon Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. In ancient times it was also known as Hyssus or Hyssos and Issiporto. The mayor is Fikri Usta ....

, it is called "Litropi."

In Giresun, the people pray at Arethian Island, where there used to be a shrine to Ares

Ares

Ares is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...

; but in most places, the people make a pilgrimage to the sea and swim. Those who cannot do so commonly take a bath in seawater, and supposedly recover from their illnesses, such as aches and pains and even epilepsy.