Jakarta. Garut in West Java held the Garut Intan Carnival Parade on Sunday (01/10) to promote tourist attractions in the city by showcasing local art and culture.

According to a statement released on Tuesday, around 10,000 people gathered to watch the parade of 164 participants from 80 groups, including kindergarten and high school students.

This year's parade differed from previous installments, with costumes made from trash were combined with Garut artistic trends to raise awareness of increased waste and its consequences.

"At last, the [Garut parade] will be a medium for the community to channel their thoughts and feelings in the form of art," said Esthy Reko Astuti, deputy for tourism development at the Ministry of Tourism.

The parade also featured an exhibition of primary weaponry defense systems by the Garut Military Infantry Command (Kodim) 0611 and a bazaar that included 20 booths of food, beverages, handicrafts and fashion products.

Wawan Gunawan, head of cultural promotion at the ministry, hoped that the festival quality will increase next year in order to qualify as an international event.

"GIC must have its own characteristics to showcase the identity of Garut; the event is held in Garut so the city must produce unique artworks according to the local culture," he added.