The opening of the 2026 Cisadane Festival in the Jalan Benteng Jaya area, Sukarasa Village, Tangerang City on Wednesday (22/7) was festive. Carrying the theme "Flowing Heritage, Growing Courage", this annual folk festival stood out after successfully entering the Top 125 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) 2026, curated by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia.
The Mayor of Tangerang, Sachrudin, officially opened the event and stated that the festival serves as a strategic momentum to promote local cultural wealth. This step is also expected to drive the community's economy through cross-sector collaboration. He is also optimistic that, with continuous support, the Cisadane Festival can enter the ranks of the top 10 national events in the coming year.
To facilitate accessibility for visitors wishing to witness the festivities, the Tangerang City Government is providing free transportation facilities. One of these is the operation of the Tayo Bus, which is ready to transport the community to the festival venue for free throughout the event period.
The Head of the Tangerang City Culture and Tourism Department, Boyke Urip Hermawan, explained that this year's opening concept highlights the Cisadane River as the center of the show. Above the historic river, a floating stage was presented, featuring colossal dances, a dragon boat parade, lion dance (barongsai) performances, fire circus, and a dazzling fireworks display.
According to Boyke, the theme reflects the importance of preserving historical heritage while fostering the courage to innovate in the modern era. The festival, which runs until July 26, offers a variety of interesting activities, ranging from MSME product exhibitions, creative industries, crafts, fashion, culinary specialties, to public service booths.
National recognition through KEN 2026 is expected to boost the motivation of local government officials to continuously improve the quality of Tangerang City's tourism. Public enthusiasm has also been very high since the first day of the opening. One visitor, Nurul, appreciated the beauty of the performances and hoped that educational cultural festivals like this would be consistently held every year to introduce the historical value of the Cisadane River.
