The Islamist media targeted and took hardline on the festival in 2015, months before taking place. At an interview with the Adana Governor of the national government, the Governor stated that he would not permit the festival where rakı is consumed at the streets. To avoid the ban, the festival organisers renamed the festival as Adana Kebap and Şalgam Festival, though the festival of 2015 just as it had in previous years and the festival continued to be called the Rakı Festival by public.
