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ot only is the ongoing Jakarta Great Sale catering to the whims of the capital’s avid mall-goers, it’s also boosting Jakarta’s image as a worthwhile shopping destination in Asia.

Living in a metropolitan city, the myriad choices and access to quality goods make shopping one of life’s greatest pleasures.

The annual Jakarta Great Sale Festival (JGS), currently in its fifth year, continues to encourage the city’s numerous malls to concoct the perfect balance between entertainment, decorations and promotions to spur the desire to spend.

This year’s JGS runs from June to mid-July and features the familiar slashed prices, midnight sales and lucky draws held at many shopping centers in Jakarta. However, it has yet another noble agenda that should benefit shoppers and Jakartans in the long run.

“JGS’ organizer the Indonesia Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) is working together with local authorities toward realizing Jakarta as a formidable shopping destination in Asia,” said Plaza Indonesia’s head of marketing and communications Astri Permatasuri.

Center stage for Jakarta’s shopping frenzy is of course its shopping centers, with strategically located malls like Plaza Indonesia among the leaders.

Apart from arranging a fashion bazaar in the EX division of the mall, Plaza Indonesia brings in live performances by indie labels as well as summery décor to jazz up its atmosphere. Meanwhile, bracket-appropriate brands including (X)SML, Mango and DKNY Jeans stand ready with lowered prices alongside premium brands such as Bally, Lanvin and Gucci.

Right across the street from Plaza Indonesia, Grand Indonesia has a “Shopping Wonderland” theme that includes bringing in an Alice in Wonderland live cabaret show all the way from Australia. The cabaret is performed once daily and three times on weekends from June 22 to July 8, 2012.

Not to be outdone, Central Park in West Jakarta has no less than 300 tenants offering variable discounts up to 80 percent off. Korean delicacies, music and custom makeovers will be on the menu during the Koreaholic Fest planned for July 15, along with a special performance from the hugely popular Indonesian boy band SM*SH.

Next door at Ciputra Mall, the entertainment takes a more adventurous turn with a unique under-the-sea experience brought to us in partnership with Sea World Aquarium. Various displays of marine life are set to wow both children and adult visitors, while the more courageous may prefer to touch creatures such as starfish or docile sharks.

Another venue offering fun for every member of the family is Gandaria City, a relatively new addition to the urban shopping scene in South Jakarta.

Gandaria is taking on a “Madagascar” theme – in conjunction with the recently released DreamWorks animation Madagascar 3 – and is scattering ice cream and candy booths across its ground floor.

Not too far away in Blok M Square, a small ancient Egypt exhibition is being showcased from June 8 to July 17. Among the attractions are replicas of ancient artifacts, a small adventure playground – where a man dressed as a mummy awaits to scare the wits out of unsuspecting visitors – and a short movie on mummy-making.

As this year’s JGS coincides with football fever from the Euro Cup 2012 championship, some malls have scheduled Nonton Bareng sessions for the cup’s final match in the early hours of July 2. Food and beverage outlets are encouraged to stay open for the early morning match, providing soccer fans with a much welcomed oasis.

Another shopping trend that has been witnessed lately across Jakarta is the boom in midnight sale offerings, which seems like a heaven-sent solution for those who despise heavy traffic or are burdened by inflexible working hours.

Ironically, the trend has actually caused traffic disruption in recent years. Elia Oktorin, a Senayan City spokesperson and a member of the JGS’ organizing team, noted that previous midnight shopping events had prompted shoppers to come at exactly the same time for the deals.

But this year she has seen a change in habit.

“Veterans to the scheme now know to come right after work to scope out their intended treasures, and dash to the cash registers the moment they open for midnight sales. During the wait, they will have a leisurely dinner or even watch a movie,” she said.

To accommodate increased traffic flow during midnight sale hours, malls like Plaza Indonesia are offering free parking after 9 p.m. and are continuing their operational hours past midnight. Plaza Indonesia’s late-night shopping program runs for two days from today (June 29).

Also starting today is Central Park’s three-day Shopping Marathon till Midnight program. Hourly prizes and live acts from The Virgin and various popular DJs are set to enliven the event, complete with a colorful fireworks show.

What if you can shop till you drop and win great prizes at the same time? Many shopping centers are giving out extravagant prizes to lucky shoppers to coincide with the JGS and the school holiday season, ranging from souvenirs to holiday tickets to luxury cars.

So, why wait? Enjoy the sales and best of luck at this year’s Jakarta Great Sale!