Cap Go Meh 2025 Festival In Pontianak, Celebrate Cultural Traditions To Tourism Promotion

Festival cap go meh di Pontianak (dok. Antara)

JAKARTA Cap Go Meh Festival is not just a cultural celebration, but also a strategic means of promoting tourism through the wealth of local traditions and wisdom.

Pontianak City, West Kalimantan, utilizes this momentum to attract local and foreign tourists, as well as encourage creative economic growth through the culinary sector, handicrafts, and cultural attractions.

The acting Mayor of Pontianak, Edi Suryanto, emphasized that the Cap Go Meh 2576 Kongzili Festival has a broad positive impact, not only in cultural conservation but also in moving the regional economy.

"The Promotion and Culinary Week in the Cap Go Meh 2025 Festival series is not only about maintaining culture, but also opens up great opportunities for business actors, especially MSMEs, to introduce their products to a wider market," said Edi Suryanto in Pontianak, Friday.

He added that this festival is a magnet for tourists and the local community because it presents various superior products, special crafts, and the increasingly popular traditional Pontianak culinary delights.

"More than 60 booths lined up along Jalan Diponegoro, showing off local products, typical culinary products, and various other creative products. Public enthusiasm has been clearly seen since this event was inaugurated," he explained.

Edi Suryanto also expressed his appreciation for the support from the West Kalimantan Provincial Government and various parties who participated in making Cap Go Meh one of the prestigious national agendas.

"This festival is a clear proof that the economy of Pontianak City continues to grow, having a positive impact on people's welfare," he added.

He hopes that this celebration can further introduce the cultural wealth of Pontianak and West Kalimantan to national and international levels. More than just a celebration, the Cap Go Meh Festival is also a means to strengthen the unity and harmony between ethnicity and religion in Pontianak.

"This celebration is not just entertainment, but also a symbol of social harmony and diversity that has long existed in this city," said Edi.

The chairman of the Cap Go Meh Festival Committee, Hendry Pangestu Lim, expressed his appreciation to all parties who have supported the holding of this event, including the West Kalimantan Provincial Government and the Pontianak City Government.

This year's Cap Go Meh Festival opens with Promotion and Culinary Weeks on Jalan Diponegoro, which will take place from 6 to 12 February 2025, "he said.

Various series of events have been prepared to enliven this festival, starting from the Culinary Promotion Week, the Open Eyes Dragon' ritual on February 10 at Klteng Kwan Tie Bio, which starts at 05.00 am with the first 10 dragons, followed by 29 other dragons paying their respects.

The peak of the celebration will take place on February 12 with the spectacular event of the Bersinar Dragon Carnival which starts at 19.30 WIB. This Carnival will start from the red light intersection on Jalan Patimura Gajah Mada, then ends on Jalan Budi Karya, where the main stage for VIP guests has been prepared in front of the Ligo Mitra supermarket.

Hendry invited all Pontianak City residents to maintain order during the festival, in order to provide the best experience for visitors.

"We hope that this festival will not only be the pride of the people of Pontianak, but can also introduce the beauty and cultural wealth of this city to guests from outside the region," he concluded. This was as quoted by ANTARA.