Public Holiday Calendar
(The information given below is intended as a guide only as many of these dates change according to the phases of the moon, rather than by month.)

Note: Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the Moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from two to ten days, depending on the region. Buddhist festivals are also timed according to phases of the moon and variations may occur.

Festivals

The various festivals in and around West Java vary their dates annually and are also added to (constantly) therefore those listed below are intended as a guide only. It is suggested that you contact either your hotel concierge on arrival for more accurate information or one of the various tourist offices in the area for a more detailed account of what's on in the days/weeks and/or months you'll be visiting the country or you can Contact Us for more information. The tourism office publish a pamphlet on the various events called the Indonesian Calendar of Events which gives up to date information not only on the festivals but also on various stage productions, concerts and the like.

Idul Ad'ha Early in the year (according to the moon) is a National holiday throughout Indonesia. It is the Moslem Day of Sacrifice, commemorated with mass prayers at mosque and in town square. Goats and cattle are slaughtered and the meat given to the poor and needy. Idul Ad'ha is public holiday.
 

Tasikmalaya Tasik Festival August The festival is held to celebrate the Independence Day of the nation coinciding with the anniversary of Tasikmalaya city. The week long festival is highlighted with art performances, and exhibition of the development of the region and local handicraft products.

Garut Traditional Rakit Race August Traditional Rakit Races are held annually on the Lematang river.

Anyer Beach Sunda Strait Marine Tourism Fishing Competition August at the Marina Village, Serang, West Java is where the action is and is held to celebrate Indonesia's Independence Day.

 

Anniversary of Bandung April
Bandung, West Java The anniversary of the founding of the city of Bandung is celebrated with various traditional performances and sport competitions.

Kawin Tebu Ceremony April
Majalengka, West Java The ritual for the crossing of sugar cane is similar to that of a wedding ceremony. Four days before replanting, various regional art performances are staged. The ceremony is held by the people of Majalengka, the majority of who are sugar cane cultivators. The ceremony is meant to pray that God preserves the fertility of the land. Traditional folk arts are also performed.
 

Waisak Day May Waisak is the birthday and death of Buddha. It is a national holiday.

Ascension Day of Christ May The commemoration of the ascension of Jesus Christ is a national holiday, observed throughout Indonesia.

Sisingaan Festival May Subang, West Java. A traditional art festival, wooden effigies of lions in colourful decoration are paraded by many people. This festival is often performed at circumcision time or other ceremonies.

Ram Fighting May Sumedang, West Java at Gunung Kunci in the Sumedang area near Bandung. This West Javanese pastime is much more gentle than for example, the Balinese cock fights and seldom result in the death of the animals. The rams are classified according to weight.

Anniversary of the Botanical Garden May Bogor, West Java The event includes a seminar and plant exhibition.

Pangandaran International Kite Festival June Held at Pangandaran Beach, West Java. Participants in the kite contest come from the region itself as well as from abroad, all display the unique and colourful kites of various sizes. Folk music and dances are held along with exhibits of art and craft before and during this joyous festival. Don't forget your camera.

Ngalaksa Displays June Rancakalong, Sumedang, West Java. A traditional annual event cooking "Laksa" a noodle dish used for offering. The people collect rice and other material during the year, 25 percent of materials is pounded until fine and the rest is sold and the money is used for organising the event. The pounding of rice is accompanied by the jentung dance in which visitor can participate. After the ceremony, the Laksa is distributed to public.

Sebu Baduy June Rangkasbitung, Lebak, West Jaya. The offering ceremony takes place at Pendopo (Hall) of Lebak regency and is in gratitude to God for a successful harvest.


Boston (Bogor Siliwangi Marathon) June Bogor, West Java. This international sports event is supported by international and national runners. Join in or watch from the roadside.

Sekaten Muludan June - July Cirebon, West Java. This ritual and festivities commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Rituals are held in the three princely courts of Cirebon Kasepuhan, Kanoman and Kacirebonan during which the old venerated heirlooms and the gamelan sets are cleaned. The heirlooms are later brought by procession to the mosque where they are blessed. The procession includes seven huge rice mounds decorated with vegetables and spices. These as well as various fruits and cakes are later divided and given to selected persons and members of the princely families.

Independence Day August 17th National, Throughout Indonesia The Indonesian National Independence Day is celebrated throughout the country. Local communities organise sport, puppet and shadow plays, traditional cultural performances, carnival or festivals and flag hoisting ceremonies.

Parade Kuda Kosong August 17th Cianjur, West Java
A horse procession is escorted by guards carrying incense. The horse is colourfully decorated and shaded with an umbrella. It has no rider as it is the belief that the horse is ridden by Eyang Suryakencana, the ancestor of the Cianjur people, who lives on top of Mt. Gede.

Renggong Horse Contest September Sumedang, West Java. Horse dances accompanied by the gamelan orchestra. The horses are judged for their skills, the jockeys, cleanliness and decoration.

West Nusa Tenggara Anniversary December (Mataram, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara) Celebrated with dances and wayang kulit performances, exhibition of the success of region's development and other activities

Christmas Day December 25 is celebrated throughout Indonesia .Christmas eve is celebrated by Christians throughout Indonesia with church services. There are candlelit dinners at major hotels as well as family gatherings and Christmas parties. Christmas is a public holiday.

Lido Festival December 31 Held at the Lido Recreational Park, Bogor, West Java. The festival is highlighted by craft and decorated boat races.


Sea Festival December Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi, West Java. A thanksgiving ceremony with flowers scattered on the waters and a buffalo head sacrificed into the sea from a colourfully decorated boat followed by music and songs. The ritual is followed by various sports events such as rowing and swimming competitions. The night before a "wayang golek" (wooden puppets show), "pencak silat" (martial art) performances and "ketuk tilu" communal dances are held.

Indonesian Dance

The following is a general run-down on the various types of dance (performed at both festivals and as stage productions) that you may be fortunate enough to observe during your travels through the country.

Like most of the performing arts of the Orient, dance in Indonesia is believed to have has its roots in religious worship. Even today, many dances are considered sacred or can be traced back to their early spiritual associations. Among these are such seemingly profane dances, such as the Bedoyo Ketawan of Solo, performed only on such rare occasions that they are in peril of becoming lost due to the lack of young dancers able to perform them.

Dance traditions today are as widely diverse as the various ethnic cultures of which they are part of. Nurtured to refined perfection in the royal Javanese courts, the classical dances of Java are highly stylized expressions which had probably already attained their basic movements during the height of the Hindu-Javanese culture from the 8th to the 13th century. Those dances eventually reached the common people, who gave them a more spontaneous form of expression.

In the hands of the people, these dances provide a rich source not only for popular dance dramas, but also for social dances, which often display clear erotic overtones, such as Tayuban or Ngibing.

The Bumbung Dance of Bali evolved into the beautiful "Bumblebee Dance" and "Tambulingan", a creation of Bali's late maestro, I Mario. Other popular folk dances still display strong magical associations such as the "Kuda Lumping" (Horse Dance).

Whereas ridged discipline and artistry mark the dances of Java and Bali, those of Sumatra, Maluku and most of the other islands are characterized by their gracefulness and charm, a distinction which is further accentuated by non-gamelan musical accompaniment.

The old traditions of dance and drama are being preserved in the many dance schools which florish nor only in the courts, but also in the modern, government-run or supervised art academies.

Modern Arts For comparative studies and enjoyment, the introduction of serious modern and western art forms are also encouraged through performances sponsored by private organizations or foreign missions, as well as by government supervised institutions.

Javanese Ballet. One place that holds traditional dance ballets on a regular basis is the Prambanan open air stage near Yogyakarta, where between June and October during nights of the full moon, Ramayana Ballet are performed. There are numerous other venues in West Java too and it's best to ask at your hotel on arrival, for more information on what's being performed, where.

Ketoprak. An offshoot of the wayang wong theatre is the Ketoprak, a contemporary popular version of dance drama which takes its stories from popular folk legends and history rather than from the classic epics. Costumes, dialogue and dances are much simpler than those of the wayang wong.