Indonesia
Kids, Let’s Head for Banyuwangi!
Try to imagine a thousand dancers on the coastline in the sunset. It’s a show of epic proportion and can be seen on Boom Beach, Banyuwangi, Eastern Java, November 23, 2013. The government of District of Banyuwangi hosts this international scale folk festival to put the Blambangan beautiful natural view on display. The magnificent “Banyuwangi Festival” is packed for four months, starting September to December 2013.
The package covers various cultural attraction based on Banyuwangi’s natural potential. Among the list are ethnic carnival, sport-tourism, and even beach jazz. “The festival is a big display of the vast amount of Banyuwangi’s tourism potential, complete with the open socio-cultural life of its people, egalitarian and deeply rooted art soul,“ the Head of District, Abdullah Azwar Anas explained in Jakarta, recently.
“Banyuwangi Festival” opened with “2013 Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival”, September 7th. With the theme of “The Legend of Kebo-keboan Blambangan” is enlivened by more than 300 dancers, marching for three kilometers in the main highway of Banyuwangi. The next one is “Batik Festival of Banyuwangi” on September 28. This event will be like some feast ground for the well known local batik artisans with Banyuwangi ‘s pattern such as Gajah Oling pattern.
For those who are fond for music, there will be some high class music that combines jazz with the coastal atmosphere. “Banyuwangi Beach Jazz Festival” will take place on November 16, with Syaharani and Trio Lestari (Glenn Fredly, Sandhy Sondoro, and Tompi). “Banyuwangi is the area with the longest coastline in East Java. The beauty of its beaches have reached overseas, just name them G-Land, Red Island or Sukamade. BJF will present a unique configuration of jazz and beach,” Anas who went to John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University to study governmental issue, convinced.
He promised to give his all in dealing with this “Festival of Banyuwangi”, to provide unique experience like no other place can offer. Intriguing, Superkids!
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: SPECIAL
