Bogowonto Festival 2017 Promotes Tourism in Purworejo
Jakarta. The 2017 Bogowonto Festival took place at Jogoboyo tourist village in Purworejo, Central Java, last weekend to promote tourist attractions in the area through arts and culture.
The festival featured a parade of tens of gethek, or bamboo boats, on the Bogowonto River, with participants dressed in unique costumes displaying the distinctive culture of the area.
"The Bogowonto River must be preserved and used as a tourism attraction," Central Java Governor Ganjar Purnowo said. He added that next year's installment of the festival should increase in quality.
Besides the parade, the three-day festival featured culinary booths set up by 12 tourist villages in Purworejo to showcase traditional dishes from the region, such as sate kroco (skewered snails), geblek (a fried snack made from cassava flour), tempe benguk (soya cake simmered in sweet soya sauce) and a beverage known as legen, which is made from palmyra palm trees.
The festival was initiated by the Bogowonto Keepers Community Association and supported by the Ministry of Tourism to encourage residents to participate in promoting local arts and culture.
"Kulon Progo Airport will be ready in a few years [...] with the location being very close to Purworejo, [thus] Purworejo must be ready with its attractions to attract more tourists," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said.
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