- CHINESE New Year Festival 2023 held by Denpasar City will be the first cultural festival event in Denpasar City this year
- Mayor of Denpasar hopes that this event can strengthen togetherness and tolerance as well as enrich tourist attractions
The Mayor of Denpasar, I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara, expressed his appreciation for the implementation of the Chinese New Year Celebration of Tolerance and the Joint Chinese New Year Festival 2023. The Denpasar City Government is very focused on embracing diversity which can enrich Denpasar City as a cultured city in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or brotherhood and confirms Denpasar as a City of Tolerance.
Celebration of Chinese New Year of Tolerance
The initiators of this activity, I Ketut Siandana, AA Ngurah Jaka Pratindya and Jro Mangku Gede Kuning who are under the auspices of the Balinese-Chinese Archipelagic Community stated that the Chinese New Year celebration of tolerance is focused on processions and prayers. It aims to pray together to realize the prosperity of society.
Siandana further added that on January 23 the Chinese New Year Celebration of Tolerance in Denpasar City began with Rituals at the shrine of Goddess Kwan Im at Taman Sari Temple. Then, it was resumed with ritual to start the Parade at Konco Sing Bie Bio on Jalan Kartini. The procession began with the ritual of lighting firecrackers and asking for blessings at the Denpasar Village temple. After that, the series moved to the Catur Muka Statue Area and then returned to the Ratu Mas Melanting Area in the Badung Market Square, Denpasar.
Joint Chinese New Year Festival
The Chinese New Year Festival will be held on January 28-29, 2023 and is centered on Jalan Gajah Mada. During the implementation of this festival, the number of visitors attending is targeted to reach 3,000 people.
Prior to the celebration and festival with the theme “Drawing up Diversity to Strengthens Harmony” officially began, various preparations have been made such as installing a typical Chinese gate and 1,200 lanterns. This gate and lanterns are installed along Jalan Gajah Mada, Denpasar.
Meanwhile, at Puputan Badung Square, an entertainment stage was also prepared which looks very lively because there is also a similar gate on the north side and lots of red lanterns. The festival will be even livelier because it is also supported by 100 culinary MSME booths of Denpasar City, of which 70 percent are Chinese specialties.
The Joint Chinese New Year Festival is designed through an Indonesian parade which will be held on Saturday (Jan 28) at 16.00–18.00 Local Time on the Jalan Gajah Mada–Catur Muka area to Puputan Badung Square. Then, at 18.00 Local Time it will be continued with the archipelago stage which is held on January 28-29 by presenting 1,200 performers.
Therefore, visitors will be entertained with performances which include 200 lion dances from 9 lion dance associations and a wushu parade of 200 participants. Besides, there are also participants from the hamlets with barong performances, Balinese rangda, and Reog Ponorogo.
Tourist attraction
The Mayor of Denpasar stated that the festival is an implementation of the spirit of Collaboration and Tolerance in maintaining diversity, where the cultural diversity of ethnic groups in the city of Denpasar can further increase the tourist attractions in the city of Denpasar as an effort to restore the community’s economy after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: HumasDPS (denpasarkota.go.id)
