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City event that never gets old
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A seller cooks 'kerak telor' at the 2018 Jakarta Fair. (JP/Jessicha Valentina)
W
hat’s not to like about the Jakarta Fair, now under way at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta? At the annual festival to celebrate Jakarta’s anniversary, people can find all kinds of favorite treats — old and new.
Those who miss kerak telor (a Betawi omelet made of egg and sticky rice) can find vendors lined up in their traditional stalls. This year also features es kepal Milo (a shaved-ice sensation with condensed chocolate milk powder), which has caused a frenzy recently.
The Jakarta Fair is also a haven for great bargains. Famous brands —from automotive to body care — offer their items with discounts of up to 70 percent and display their new products.
For non-foodies or those who don’t regard shopping as having a good time, there are amusement rides that also follow the trend. Last year, when dads, moms and their children were crazy about trampolines, there was a section for them to hop around together.
And of course, there is live music featuring renowned local bands. As the fair coincides with the 2018 soccer World Cup in Russia held from June 14 to July 15, the organizers will also have live screenings of the matches, famously known as nobar, as it has secured a viewing license.
The Jakarta Fair, initially the Djakarta Fair, was established in 1968 and inaugurated by then-president Soeharto. At that time, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman Syamsudin Mangan had an idea to make a promotional event for local products in an effort to boost the country’s economy in the wake of the political and economic crises that led to the fall of Sukarno.
As the hippest entertainment spot at that time, it featured various kinds of shows, including a beauty pageant for transgender women. Former United States president Richard Nixon visited the fair the next year.
Entering its 51st edition this year, the tidbits at the Jakarta Fair keep it relevant for residents and never fail to attract crowds. Last year, the turnout exceeded 6 million people, with transactions amounting to Rp 6.8 trillion (US$490 million) during the month-long festival. Despite the economic slowdown, organizers have expressed their guarded optimism that the transaction volume will break the Rp 7 trillion level, partly because of the Idul Fitri holiday.
The Jakarta Fair was moved from the National Monument (Monas), next to the State Palace in Central Jakarta, in 1992 to JIExpo, which has a bigger space for the event. Yet, people still flock to see the fair, believed to be the longest continuous expo in the world, every year.
Amid changes that have reshaped the capital through the decades, the Jakarta Fair is proof that easy entertainment never gets old. Maybe it is the bands or the snacks and all the cheap thrills that attract entertainment-hungry people.
But don’t we love cheap thrills after a hard day? Even President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, whose inauguration motto is work, work, work, likes simple activities to fill his days off. Hopefully, he will finally visit the Jakarta Fair.
