Indonesia consists of more than 17,000 islands and 1,000 tribes. Therefore, you can find many interesting things in this country. Culinary, natural scenery, and events or festivals will satisfy your thirst for new adventures and experiences. Speaking about events and festivals, here, we have 18 famous Events and Festivals in Indonesia 2023.  

Upcoming Events and Festivals in Indonesia

Famous Events and Festivals

best special events and festivals in Indonesia every years. From cultural parade traditional art, dance, sculpture, music,  big festivals and religious holidays, tourists are lucky as many Events and Festivals are now open for public

Rambu Solo

Rambu Solo

You can find this festival or a traditional ceremony in Toraja, South Sulawesi. Rambu Solo is a funeral ceremony with the purpose to guide the spirit of the dead family member to the afterlife. It has many steps, and each of them is fascinating to watch. Tourists can visit and observe the ceremony, but forbid to get involved directly because it is a private ceremony for the family of the dead. This ceremony happens between July and September.

Nyepi

Nyepi

Nyepi is one of the famous Cultural & Religious Events in Bali. This event is also known as the day of silence, where the Balinese don’t leave their house. They are also fasting and meditating in their house. During this event, tourists also can’t leave their hotel and travel around Bali. However, you can still see it from the room where you stay. If you can move to the upper floor, you can see that the city in Bali feels like a dead city during this event.

Bau Nyale

Bau Nyale

Right next to Bali Island, you can find Lombok Island where one of the biggest traditional fishing festivals is held every year (in February or March). Visit this island at that time, and you can participate in this festival where you can catch a unique type of sea worm.

Baliem Valley Festival

Baliem Valley Festival

It is a unique traditional mock-war festival between tribes that you can only find in Papua. You can see it in August when over 20 tribes in this area come together for this event. The festival lasts for two days. Other than mock-war, you also can enjoy other performances, such as traditional dance and even a pig-racing event.

Dieng Culture Festival

Dieng Culture Festival

In August, people who live in Dieng Plateau, Central Java hold a unique festival where they shave off their children’s hair. It sounds ordinary, isn’t it? However, many kids in this area have natural dreadlocks. So, it is something that you should watch. This traditional event also is known as ruwatan anak gombel.

Waisak or Vesak

Waisak or Vesak

It is a sacred festival for all Buddhist communities in the world. Indonesia, where Buddhist lives is also no exception. But, the Waisak celebration in indonesia becomes unique because of its location, such as Mendut Temple and Borobudur Temple. The festival date is changing depending on the traditional calendar. But, most likely, you can see it in June.

Pasola

Pasola

Pasola is a traditional jousting festival you can only find on West Sumba Island. Most of the time, they held this festival in February or March. They ride a horse without saddles and use hola, a traditional wooden spear, to attack each other. In the past, this festival caused death to its participants. However, today, it is only a mock war and show-off of how good Sumba people ride horses.

Galungan

If India has Diwali, Indonesia has Galungan. It is a festival to ward off evil spirits and express gratitude towards the God you can find in Bali. During this festival, the Balinese will use a bamboo pole called penjor that they hang across the street. They also put offerings along with bamboo poles.

Indonesia’s Independence Day

Independence Day in Indonesia is always celebrated in many unique ways. Parade and military ceremony is common during this event. But, if you visit many cities or villages in Indonesia during this event, you can find many people there holding various unique competitions, such as Panjat Pinang (climbing a slippery bamboo pole), Balap Karung (race while wearing a sack and jumping until the finish line), or fashion show.

Bidar Boat Race

At this event, you can see the race using a boat made from trees. And, it is not only a simple traditional boat. But, they use a big boat with a length of around 20-30 meters. Around 70 people are riding the boat and rowing the boat to reach the finish in rhythm, following the gong sound hit by the gong striker on the boat. You can find this event in Palembang.

Idul Fitri (Eid Mubarak)

As a country with the most Muslim population in the world, Indonesia also celebrates this event and even makes it much bigger than other countries. It is a national holiday where people return to their hometown to meet and ask for forgiveness from their parents and family. Idul Fitri is also known as the feast event. People serve many delicious cookies and meals during this event only. If you have a friend in Indonesia, make sure you visit them during this event.

Cap Goh Meh

Cap Goh Meh is a festival indonesia 2023 to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Next year, this event will be held around March or 15 days after Imlek, the Chinese New Year. At this event, you can see a lantern parade and many delicious food festivals.

Lampung Krakatau Festival

Lampung Krakatau Festival

The super volcanic explosion of Krakatoa Mountain in 1883 created a deep impact on people that live close to it. This festival is to commemorate that world’s shaking moment. You can see this festival in June and October. Traditional dance performances and Krakatoa Volcano tours are fun activities you can enjoy here.

Yadnya Kasada

The Tenggerese community that lives at the foot of Mount Bromo hold this festival by sacrificing an animal, vegetables, flower, and other offerings to Mount Bromo volcano. You can see it around May and September.

Jember Fashion Carnival

The street in Jember city becomes a fashion runway during this festival. It was first held in 2003, inspired by the Dynand Fariz 2002 fashion week festival. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this festival was temporarily stopped. However, after the condition is getting better, next year, we can expect this festival in August.

Sekaten

Sekaten is another Muslim festival that was held to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. You can find it in Yogyakarta. For a week, many spots in this city become the festival spot, starting from cultural performances to the famous night market and food stalls.

Tomohon International Flower Festival

In Manado, North Sulawesi, you can find this festival. The best thing you can see here is the flower car parade. The car, decorated with flowers, moves around the city. Many people gather and enjoy the festival together.

Hammersonic 2023

Then, we have music events. It is one of the popular music events in Indonesia, the Hammersonic. This festival is the best choice for you who love hardcore, metal, and rock music. As for the next Hammersonic, it said that Saosin and Slipknot will attend this indonesia music festival 2023.

Next year, this festival will be held in March. So, you need to get ready to travel to Indonesia at that time. Moreover, there are many other events and cultural festivals you can find and see during that month. Therefore, you can get all the fun things altogether. Are you ready for the Indonesian festival and events?!

Stefan Miles

Stefan Miles

Besides being curious about people and their cultures, Miles enjoys writing and messing around with a camera. Miles’s favourite meditations are a good book with a cappuccino, feeding stray cats and dogs,...