10 Cultural Festivals Across Indonesia to Visit in June, One in Bali

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia is entering the school holiday period in June, and the month will be brimming with various tourist agendas and cultural events across the country that promise wonderful times.

Several cultural festivals in June are part of the Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) organized by the Ministry of Tourism. Here are some of the festivals scheduled this month to visit and participate in:

1. Gebrag Ngadu Bedug, Banten

Gebrag Ngadu Bedug is a local annual tradition of the Pandeglang community in Banten to welcome and celebrate Eid al-Adha. The event, which will take place from June 7 to 9, 2025, at the Pandeglang Square, gathers villagers from across the region to embace the festivities.

2. Bakar Tongkang Festival, Riau

The Bakar Tongkang festival is an annual event held  in the Rokan Hilir Regency, Riau Province. This year, the ritual of the burning of the tongkang, or a fisher's barge, will take place on June 10-12 by the Chinese community in the city of Bagansiapiapi.

Burning of the tongkang symbolizes steadfastness, belief, and respect for the ancestors. The burnt boats symbolize prayers, hope, and respect for the Sea God and the ancestors.

3. The Soekarno Coffee Festival, Blitar, East Java

This event not only brings together the coffee industry players across Greater Blitar, but also the struggles fought by Indonesia's first president, Soekarno. The festival celebrates Bung Karno's role in the Indonesian independence and the education of the nation's thinkers. The event will be held from June 13 to 15, 2025, at the courtyard of the Blitar Mayor's Office.

4. Gedongsono Festival, Central Java

The cultural arts procession includes various activities, from the harvest parade, music and dance performances, and the releasing of lanterns to the resik-resik (cleaning) ritual of Gedongsongo Temple. The festival will be held at the temple site in Semarang Regency from June 13 to 15, 2025.

5. Bali Arts Festival, Bali

The festival will run during the Indonesian school holiday from June 21 to July 19, 2025. The event will host cultural parades, art performances, and competitions enlivened by artists from various countries through the Bali World Culture Celebration (BWCC).

Carrying the theme Jagat Kerthi: Lokahita Samudaya, which translates to 'Harmony of the Universe,' the event will be centered in front of the Bali People's Struggle Monument, Niti Mandala Denpasar.

6. The Exotic Bromo, East Java

The two-day Bromo festival will take place later in June on the 21st and 22nd at the Sea of Sand of Mount Bromo, Pasuruan, East Java. This event involves hundreds of artists from all over Indonesia, uniting the richness of local traditions with the iconic natural landscape.

7. Grebeg Suro: National Reog Ponorogo Festival, East Java

Taking place in Ponorogo from June 22 to 25, the festival is a blend of dance, gamelan music, and theatrical performances soaked with magical and historical symbols. This art form was officially recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2024.

8. Satu Suro Parades, Central Java

The parades of Satu Suro, or the first night of the first day of the Javanese calendar year in the month of Suro, are an annual tradition carried out by the Surakarta Palace and Pura Mangkunegaran in Solo, Central Java.  This year, the celebration will be held on June 26, 2025.

9. Semasa Piknik, Jakarta

The people of Jakarta will hold a community picnic at the Banteng Square, Central Jakarta, on June 27 to 29, 2025. The Semasa Picnic event presents an open space concept with free access that presents over 250 booths, 150 of which are from the local creative sector and the rest from the culinary sector.

10. Tabut Festival, Bengkulu

The Tabut Festival is an annual event in Bengkulu City, Bengkulu Province, to welcome the Islamic New Year. The event will be held at the Sport Center of Panjang Beach from June 27 to July 6, 2025.

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