• Address: 3845 N. Harlem Ave. Chicago, IL 60634
  • (773) 530-1388
  • Address: 3845 N. Harlem Ave. Chicago, IL 60634
  • (773) 530-1388

Upcoming Events

We need your support

Become a Member to support

Dear Friends of TACA,

We believe previous years have been very productive for our community. Our Annual Chicago Turkish Festival was once again a success for it was categorized as “the best ethnic festival” by City of Chicago. Additionally, TACA Ataturk School has now more than 40 students and they are in attendance with the assistance of volunteer teaching staff of five.

Thanks

Make us stronger

Support TACA

Please use www.amazonsmile.com instead of amazon.com when you need to make any purchase from amazon, they are the same web site but you can pick a non-profit organization that you support in amazonsmile and Amazon will make small percentage as donation on your behalf to TACA, you wont pay anything, Amazon will.

Our Sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors

Services we provide

TACA provides the following services for our community. All services are run by a group of volunteers. If you need more information or consider joining the teams providing these services, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.

Adult Turkish Classes

Turkish American Cultural Alliance Adult Turkish Classes are designed for diverse group of professionals who seek to learn Turkish for various reasons. Among our students we have graduate students, professors, artists, entrepreneurs, language lovers, or simply travelers. There are currently six different levels of courses which can be completed in six semesters. At the end of these six semesters, the students should be able to read, write, speak, and understand Turkish “in novice-high” level specified in AATT’s (American Association of Teachers of Turkic Languages) Provisional Proficiency Guidelines for Turkish.

ATATURK Elementary School

TACA Ataturk School’s mission is to provide education to Turkish children in the Chicago area following Ataturk’s principles.

Chicago Turkish Festival

Chicago Turkish Festival features demonstrations of art, dance, music and much more, where Chicagoans can get the opportunity to experience, learn and savor Turkish hospitality, culture, heritage and cuisine.

Chicago International Children's Day

Turkish American Cultural Alliance (TACA) and Turkish Friends of Naperville are pleased to present: International Children’s Day. In its 18th year, this must-attend tradition of the region has been going strong thanks to the support of the local community and TACA volunteers. The festival is held on a weekend that is closest to April 23rd. The event location is Ranch View Elementary School in Naperville (1651 Ranchview Drive, Naperville, IL).

The International Children’s Day event is participated by many and full of fun. Activities include a parade of nations, performances in traditional costumes, cultural exhibits by participating countries, face painting, and many others. 

Admission is free. Food and beverages are available for purchase.

In Turkey, Children’s Day originated from the first gathering of the Grand National Assembly on April 23rd, 1920. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, dedicated April 23rd to the children of the country, so that they would cherish their independence. This year marks the 99th celebration of this day.

Each year on April 23rd, children from around the world visit Turkey. Turkish families who have children of similar ages host them. Festivities last over a week. Both visitors and hosting Turkish children spend time together for cultural exchange and building lifelong connections. Many children, often not even speaking the same language, create memorable friendships. Festival and several other activities are broadcasted on national television, showing the children in their traditional outfits, dancing, singing, and exchanging gifts. The United Nations recognize and support the events.

TACA celebrates International Children’s Day with the attendance of children representing many countries. Children and parents from various ethnic backgrounds from Chicagoland gather for this joyful celebration dedicated to all children of the world. The children parade dressed in their traditional costumes and perform for the audience. The parade of nations in the past included Albania, America, Bulgaria, Colombia, India, Korea, Lithuania, Russia, and Turkey.

TACA has been organizing the International Children’s Day celebration in Naperville with the same spirit it is observed in Turkey. It is an opportunity to learn and appreciate different cultures, create shared experiences, showcase talents, and make new friends. Children parading in their traditional costumes and performing their traditional folk dance shows creates memorable moments for the audience. Each participating country has the opportunity to display their national flag and share cultural information with the visitors.

Music and Folklore

TACA provides Music or/and Turkish Folk Dancing classes based on demand. Schedule is determined by instructor(s) or teacher(s). We will try to keep page updated as much as we can, please click “Read more” for more information.

TACA Turkish Cemetery

TACA owns a Turkish cemetery in Chicago and is the first Turkish organization in the United States to have a cemetery. In 2008, TACA successfully added 100 funeral plots to its existing cemetery space.