T

he sound of okokan, a traditional musical instrument from Tabanan regency, was the opening marker for the annual Bali Arts Festival at Niti Mandala Park in Renon on Sunday.

Looking cheerful, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono hit the instrument several times…tok..tak..tok..tak… and the party began.

Accompanied by Governor Made Mangku Pastika, Education and Culture Minister Muhammad Nuh, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, the President and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono sat on the VIP stage in front of Bajra Sandhi monument witnessing the richness of Balinese culture displayed during the street carnival.

Both the President and the First Lady were wearing beautiful Balinese traditional costumes, smiling and waving at participants in the parade and the packed audience.

The opening of the art festival had to be changed three times to fit in with the President’s agenda. On Monday morning, the President will leave on an overseas trip.

Thousands of people were waiting enthusiastically under the scorching sun, some of them having already been there since early in the morning.

Komang Brillian, a Denpasar resident, said he had waited for hours. “Just to have fun. We can leave our daily problems behind by watching this colorful carnival,” said the sweaty Komang.

Angela, a student from Jakarta, said she enjoyed watching the parade, but said it was difficult to find the right place. “It is too crowded. I can only see the procession from a distance.”

The street procession highlighted the one-month arts fiesta, which started on June 10 and will end on July 9.

More than 15,000 performers showcased their musical and dance talents clad in colorful authentic traditional Balinese costumes during the street parade.

Tight security was enforced to ensure the safety of the president and other VIP guests, preventing spectators from clearly seeing the parade.

“We are watching an art festival, not a war. We don’t have to deploy so many police officers and other security guards,” one visitor complained.

Hundreds of people failed to watch the Sunday carnival since the authorities closed all main roads heading into Renon.

The street party was opened with the dance theater performances Adi Merdangga and Siwa Natharaja performed by students and lecturers of the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) Denpasar.

Siwa Natharaja portrayed Lord Siwa the Destroyer as the highest choreographer and dancer that created the universe through his dance. The annual Bali Arts Festival uses Siwa Natharaja as a symbol of the event.

The island’s diversity was reflected by many kinds of traditional bridal costumes from all the regencies, each showing off their traditional woven clothes, such as tenun cepuk from Klungkung and tenun cagcag from Jembrana.