The spirit of preserving local culture shone once again on the slopes of Mount Merbabu, Warangan Village, Pakis District, Magelang, on Sunday (12/7/2026). Thousands of onlookers witnessed the cultural parade that was part of the grand event, the 25th Five Mountains Festival (FLG), an art appreciation event routinely held by the community of farmer-artists from five mountains in Central Java.
This festival involves creative collaboration among art activists living around Mount Merapi, Merbabu, Menoreh, Andong, and Sumbing. The main uniqueness of this festival lies in the principle of self-reliance firmly held by the organizers. The entire series of events takes place without the involvement of corporate sponsors, relying purely on community self-reliance and the spirit of mutual cooperation among residents.
For the farmer-artists, FLG XXV is not merely a routine performance stage, but a form of dedication to preserving cultural roots amidst modernization. By utilizing existing resources and collective support, they successfully organized a large-scale art festival independently, while strengthening social ties between communities from the five mountain regions.
