1,200 small businesses to join Jakarta's Indonesian independence festival
Photo caption: Participants unfurl a red-and-white cloth during the Red-and-White Parade at the Tangerang City Government Center in Banten Province on Sunday (Aug. 16, 2026). Themed “United in Independence, Moving Toward an Advanced Indonesia,” the event featured an 81-meter-long red-and-white cloth unfurled to mark Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day anniversary.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Some 1,200 micro, small and medium-sized businesses will participate in Indonesia’s Independence Day Pesta Rakyat at Jakarta’s National Monument on Aug. 17, with organizers targeting 600,000 visitors.
Loto Srinaita Ginting, secretary of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, said participating businesses had undergone selection and mentoring to ensure product quality and service readiness.
“Pesta Rakyat will feature an MSME Expo, public entertainment and Malam Merdeka throughout the day, targeting around 600,000 visitors,” Loto said in a ministry statement that ANTARA quoted here Sunday.
The participation is intended not only to promote products but also to empower businesses through economic activities that directly involve the public, she said.
Each business will provide 500 packages of Indonesian food, with meals valued at Rp30,000 (US$1.68) and drinks at Rp15,000 (US$0.84). The packages will be distributed free at Monas.
Food will be distributed in two sessions, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. until the event ends.
The program is expected to showcase Indonesia’s culinary diversity while providing economic benefits to participating small businesses, Loto said.
The event is a collaboration between the MSME Ministry, Tourism Ministry, Creative Economy Ministry, State Secretariat Ministry, Jakarta provincial government and Danantara.
Besides the MSME Expo, Pesta Rakyat will feature public entertainment, decorated-vehicle parades and music performances at stages around Monas, Bundaran HI and Sarinah.
The festivities will continue into the evening with Malam Merdeka, featuring immersive shows, video mapping and drone displays around Monas, Kempinski, Pullman, Plaza Indonesia and Bundaran HI.
The performances will highlight Indonesia’s textile heritage, national heroes and government priority programs, before a 10-minute fireworks display set to music closes the celebration at Bundaran HI.
Loto said she hopes the event will give small businesses a platform to promote their products while strengthening their contribution to Indonesia’s economy.
