Sanur fest set to charm with food, sport and art

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 07/23/2007 11:41 AM  |  National

Ary Hermawan, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

The annual Sanur Village Festival is set to entice local and international tourists with a series of sport, culinary and cultural events blended in a single theme, The New Spirit of Heritage, the organizing committee said.

""The festival aims to promote Sanur as a safe destination for holidaymakers by putting an emphasis on cultural events, without overlooking modern development,"" chairman of the Sanur Development Foundation, Ida Bagus Sidharta Putra, said at a media conference Wednesday.

The second Sanur festival will run from Aug. 15 to 19, and is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors.

""The festival opening will include a performance of the sacred Puja Buana dance, which represents the 'new spirit' theme,"" Ida said. The dance was inspired by the sacred Rejang Dewa dance, which is usually only performed in temples.

A Balinese martial arts dance, the Kembang Pecak, will also be performed during the festival, which will be closed with a musical performance by Balinese artist Bona Alit.

""A special contemporary musical performance from Bona has been selected because his music merges modern Bali nuances with traditional string elements.""

Other renowned musicians such as Dewa Budjana, the guitarist of popular band Gigi, and Belawan will also take part in indulging their audiences in the festival.

The festival will also offer bonsai, painting and cartoon exhibitions. Cartoons with a beach theme will exhibit caricatures of activities during the Sanur Village Festival.

""This exhibition is aimed at restoring the relationship between Indonesia and Australia,"" said Janggo Paramartha, one of the cartoonists who will participate in the exhibition.

Janggo said Balinese artists were concerned about the fragile relationship between the two countries.

Australia has recently reissued a travel advisory for citizens traveling to Jakarta and Bali, citing an imminent threat of a terror attack.

The move has angered Indonesian lawmakers and officials who fear it will affect tourism on the island, which has been struggling to recover since the trauma of two deadly terrorist bombings.

The Sanur Painter's Association has registered five galleries as exhibition venues, which include Santrian Gallery, Guet Gallery, Rare Angon Gallery, 10 Art Gallery and Darga Gallery. Around 120 international and local artists will attend the festival to show their works.

The festival will also hold a mass yoga event in which 1,500 participants are expected to assemble on the beachfront of Inna Grand Bali Beach to be led by Yoga gurus from Bali.

""We will also hold a golf tournament,"" Ida said. The annual Sanur Open Golf Tournament coincides with the Sanur Village Festival from Aug. 17-18 at the Bali Beach Golf Course.

Other activities include a kite contest and beach games.

The committee said at least 40 restaurants, bars and food stalls will participate in a culinary event.

Last year's participating food and beverage companies were limited to the Sanur area, but Ida said this year restaurants and other food and beverage stalls from outside the area would be given greater access.

The festival will cost around Rp 750 million (about US$83,333) with the city administration expected to be the biggest donors.

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