The East Nusa Tenggara Calendar of Event 2024 showcases a dazzling and colorful array of events throughout 2024. From cultural festivals rich in tradition to inspiring arts events, this year will be a memorable celebration for locals and visiting tourists alike. Let’s explore the exciting activities that will grace every corner of East Nusa Tenggara this year.
JANUARY
1. Cultural Event – Sewu Api Mukusaki
Ende District, January 01, 2024
The Sewu Api Mukusaki ritual is an annual ritual to ask for prosperity. The series of rituals will begins with a customary 4-5 day ban on outdoor activities, especially those related to land cultivation and the environment.
FEBRUARY – MARCH
1. Five Day Nggolombay Culture Festival
Nagekeo Regency, February 7-12, 2024
The Five Day Nggolombay Culture Festival is a cultural attraction marked by the Kaijo ritual, a local customary ritual to maintain the balance of the natural ecosystem. They pledge to care for the universe.
2. Pasola Festival
Sumba Island, February 11-March 1, 2024
Pasola is a cultural attraction and a famous traditional agility game on the island of Sumba, where two groups attack each other by throwing wooden javelins from the top of a galloping horse. Groups attack each other by throwing wooden javelins from a galloping horse. The festival begins with a nyale ceremony, looking for sea worms that come out on the beach as a sign of the coming harvest season.
Pasola Hombakalaio Southwest Sumba Kab February 11, 2024
Pasola Bondokawango Southwest Sumba Kab February 13, 2024
Pasola Rarawinyo Southwest Sumba Kab February 14, 2024
Pasola Lamboya West Sumba Kab February 16, 2024
Pasola MalitiBondo Ate – Southwest Sumba Kab March 13, 2024
Pasola Waiha Southwest Sumba Kab March 14, 2024
Pasola Wainyapu Southwest Sumba Kab March 15, 2024
Pasola Wanokaka West Sumba Kab March 16, 2024
3. Guti Nale Festival
Lembata District, February 11-12 & March 12-13, 2024
Guti Nale is one of the traditions of the Mingar people, Nagawetun Subdistrict that has been passed down for generations. Guti Nale is a tradition of catching or taking Nale (Nyale) a type of sea worm as a sign of the coming harvest and community welfare. This tradition takes place in February and March or on the 6th-7th full moon of the second month and the 6th-7th full moon of the second month.
6-7th full moon in the second month and 7-8th full moon in the third month according to the Mingar calendar.
APRIL
1. Samana Santa Festival
East Flores Regency, April 2-9, 2024
Samana Santa Festival is one of a series of religious activities for Catholics in welcoming Easter. Samana Santa is a Portuguese cultural heritage that has been practiced for generations by the people of East Flores since 500 years ago. Etymologically, Samana Santa means Holy Week.
2. Cultural Festival
Kupang City, April 14-15, 2024
A festival featuring various cultures in East Nusa Tenggara as well as traditional dance competitions, local expo and cultural arts performances.
3. Bale Nagi Festival
East Flores Regency, April 11-15, 2024
The Bale Nagi Festival is an integral part of the religious ritual of Semana Santa. Bale Nagi is a tradition where the people of Larantuka in particular and East Flores in general who are overseas are “called” to return to their hometowns and gather with their families, not only to stay in touch but also to regain the spirit and strength to return to work.
MAY
1. National Enchantment Parade
Ende District, May 29 – June 1, 2024
A parade to commemorate Bung Karno’s extract from Batavia to Ende in 1934-1938 and also to commemorate the essence of Pancasila which was explored by Bung Karno in Ende. The festival is filled with a number of activities, namely speech contest between students, national seminar, inter-ethnic choir competition from 22 districts / cities and also trekking event.
JUNE
1. Kupang Festival
Kupang City, June 2024
Kupang Festival is an event that showcases a variety of cultural, culinary and artistic performances from 22 districts/cities. Aside from being a means of destination promotion, organizing events/festivals is also an effort to introduce and maintain the wealth of tourism potential and creative economy in East Nusa Tenggara.
2. Wolobobo Festival
Ngada Regency, June 28-30, 2024
A carnival of men dressed in the traditional costume of Ngada Regency eagerly chanted traditional verses while carrying sacrificial animals as the opening of the Wolobobo Festival in Ngada Regency. In the Bajawa tribe, this ritual is called Bhei Bhodo, a form of gratitude to the ruler of heaven and earth or the god zeta nitu zale in the belief of the Bajawa people.
3. Alor Carnaval
Alor Regency, June 13-17, 2024
A festival that features customs and fashion competitions in traditional clothing from all sub-districts in Alor Regency and also showcases Alor’s handicrafts and ikat weaving.
4. Dugong Festival
Alor Regency, June 16, 2024
The festival of calling Dugong carried out by a handler is one of the unique attractions where Dugong mammals will approach the boat where the handler is. This activity was held at Mali Beach.
5. Para Layang Festival June 15-17, 2024
6. Dang Manggasari Festival June 16, 2024
7. Quran Festival June 17, 2024
JULY
1. Colol Valley Coffee Festival
East Manggarai Regency, July 2024
The Colol Valley area has long been known as the largest coffee producing area in East Manggarai Regency.
The Colol Valley Coffee Festival is a promotional event for the culture, tourism and agriculture of the Colol Valley region with its Colol Valley Coffee as its prima donna product.
2. Rote Malole Festival
Rote Ndao Regency, July 5-6, 2024
The Rote Malole Festival is a cultural event that combines elements of tourism, arts and culture of Rote Ndao Regency to the outside world. This event features a variety of cultures packaged in arts and cultural performances, exhibitions, local-based culinary, Kebalai Dance and Creative Economy Exhibitions.
3. Winter Festival
South Central Timor District, July 23-25, 2024
The Winter Festival is one of the local events to enjoy all the beauty of nature while camping, being treated to cultural arts performances, creative economy exhibitions and other entertainment.
4. Labuan Bajo Maritime Festival
West Manggarai Regency, July 2024
The Labuan Bajo Maritime Festival is a festival held by presenting various marine tourism-themed activities such as coral planting and coral reef checking in the Rinca area, garbage cleanup activities in coastal areas, marine and maritime product bazaars and enjoying sunset moments.
AUGUST
1. Toja Me Festival
Sikka Regency, August 25, 2024
This festival is named TOJA ME Festival: Toja literally means dance, and me means child. This festival is intended to explore the meaning and philosophy of the people in Lela sub-district about the values contained in Toja me art (dance). It is believed that by reviving the art of Toja Me, the community believes that children in the family will become the crown of joy and blessings for others. The festival was held in Lela Village, Lela Sub-district, involving nine villages, which are Baopat, Hepang, Du, Ili gai, Sikka, Kolidetung, Korowuwu, Lela and Watu Tedang.
2. The Best Festival for the People
Kupang City, August 11-12, 2024
The festival, which features a variety of regional art attractions, is enlivened by a variety of traditional competitions, including a decorative boat race and an iris tuak or palm wine competition.
3. Nai Feto Lalean Procession
Belu Regency, July 25-August 1, 2024
Nai Feto Lalean (Our Lady Queen of Heaven) is a religious ritual where Catholics parade the statue of Our Lady in Atapupu Sea to commemorate the Marian Month. A religious procession of Catholics in Belu Regency to commemorate the entry of Catholicism on the island of Timor which began from Atapupu.
4. Golo Koe Festival
West Manggarai Regency, August 1l-15, 2024
The Golo Koe Labuan Bajo Festival is the second religious festival held in Labuan Bajo. The core and highlight of this festival is the procession of the Statue of Our Lady Assumpta Nusantara around the city of Labuan Bajo which ends with the arrangement at the Gua Maria Golo Koe Labuan Bajo.
5. Kelimutu Festival
Ende Regency, August 9-14, 2024
The festival begins with the traditional ceremony of slaughtering buffaloes for 1,000 people and ends with the traditional ceremony of Pati Ka Du’a Bapu Ata Mata (Feeding the ancestors) at the top of Lake Kelimutu.
6. Uyelewun Festival
Lembata Regency, August 15-18, 2024
The Eyelewun Raya Cultural Expo, which takes place in Benihading | Village, Omesuri District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), features a parade of dances, traditional clothing, traditional rites, as well as traditional culinary exhibitions of local people from a number of indigenous communities.
SEPTEMBER
1. Kelaba Madja Festival
Sabu Raijua Regency, September 2024
Kelaba Madja Festival is a series of cultural activities held for 4 days in Kelabba Madja. The activities carried out include: greening, tracking to Namata traditional village, extending the traditional cloth of Sabu, creative economy exhibition and various local culinary, cultural parade, haba furai dance, pado’a, etc.
OCTOBER
1. Nuhanera Festival
Lembata Regency, October 4-8, 2024
The Nuhanera Lembata Festival is an annual event of the Lembata Regional Government which includes a series of marine tourism rallies. The series are Atadei-Lamalera Explore & Coal Expedition, Nuhanera Lembata Festival, Adventure Festival and Lamaholot Festival.
2. Fulan Fehan Festival
Belu Regency, October 2024
The Fulan Fehan Festival is an annual cultural event. The festival is held in the highlands. Fulan Fehan is a famous destination in Belu Regency which borders directly with the country of Timor Leste.