Published on August 20, 2014
Showcasing and preserving the precious art of Batik from across the Indonesian Archipelago, the 6th Pekalongan Batik Week will be held from 8th to 12th October 2014 at the Jetayu Cultural Area, in Pekalongan City, Central Java Province.
The week long batik fiesta will feature a series of activities including: the Nusantara Archipelago Batik Exhibition, an Indonesia Culinary Festival, Fashion Show, Welcome Dinner, Pekalongan Great Sale, Batik Lanterns Festival, Art and Cultural Performances, Pekalongan Batik Carnival, National Batik Gathering, Batik’s Motifs for Public Officials’ Uniforms Competition, Exhibition Booths competition, Batik on The Street Theatrical Performance, and more.
The Nusantara Archipelago Batik Exhibition will feature 140 booths in and around the Jetayu Sport Center. Featuring all kinds of batik products from all over Indonesia, the exhibition will be participated by a great many small and medium scale businesses from all over Indonesia, Provincial governments, Cities and regencies, State Owned Enterprises, various private sectors, associations, and more.
Accompanying the series of activities in the 6th edition of the Pekalongan Batik Week, the Indonesia Culinary Festival will indulge visitors with an array of distinct culinary presentations from Pekalongan and other cities in Central Java.
Building the hype of Pekalongan Batik Week 2014, the Pekalongan Great Sale will precede the event 2 months earlier. Pekalongan Great Sale is initiated by the City of Pekalongan in collaboration with small and medium scale Batik businesses, shopping centers, travel operators, hotels, Handicraft exporters and producers’ Association (Asephi) of Pekalongan, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) of Pekalongan. During this Great Sale, Batik stores and Shopping Centers all over Pekalongan will offer most attrative discounts for a large range products.
As pinnacle of the week-long batik fiesta, the Batik on the Street Theatrical Performance will turn the main street of Pekalongan City around Jetayu area into a massive stage with an exceptional batik show involving spectacular lighting and visual effects.
The art of Batik is one of the most esteemed cultural heritage products of Indonesia which exudes deep symbolic values. Batik has also become an icon and precious identity of Indonesia and its people. Its reputation has also gone worldwide, especially since UNESCO declared Batik as “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in 2009. Today, batik is not only used for traditional or classical costumes only , but its popularity now highlights Indonesia’s modern and trendy fashion scene.
The city of Pekalongan itself is also known for its distinct Batik Pesisir or Coastal Batik which features vibrant colors and patterns. While Batik Keraton or the Royal Batik of Solo and Yogyakarta distinguish themselves through their classic brown, yellow, black and blue colors, the Pekalongan batik is an exhuberant expression of bright colors mixed on one sheet of cloth, ranging from the more subdued greens, pinks and blues to garish orange, purples and reds.
Pekalongan is situated less than 100km or about 3 hours’ drive west of Semarang, capital city of Central Java Province. The city is also easily accessible by train.
