Events & Festivals in Surabaya

Active Chinese New Year celebrations centered around Kya Kya Street in Chinatown. Expect lion dances, traditional performances, red lantern displays, and crowded night markets. The area transforms with decorations, food stalls, and cultural activities celebrating Lunar New Year.

Street carnival featuring colorful floats, traditional costumes, music, and dance performances celebrating Surabaya's culture. Includes competitions, food stalls, and community participation from across the city.

International marathon attracting runners from across Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Features full marathon, half marathon, and 10K routes passing major city landmarks. Includes health expo, running clinics, and post-race celebrations.

Multi-sport event featuring swimming, cycling, and running courses. Includes elite and amateur categories, with participants from across Asia. Promotes sports tourism and healthy lifestyle in Surabaya.

Month-long celebration of performing and visual arts featuring local and national artists. Includes theater performances, dance shows, art exhibitions, workshops, and street performances across multiple venues.

Special night markets during Ramadan featuring iftar (breaking fast) foods, snacks, drinks, and traditional items. Hectic atmosphere from afternoon until late night. Showcases diverse Muslim culinary traditions.

Traditional Javanese coastal ceremony honoring ancestors and sea spirits. Features processions, traditional boat decorations, offerings cast to sea, and cultural performances. Celebrates Surabaya's maritime heritage and fishing communities.

Major Islamic holiday marking end of Ramadan. Features communal prayers, family gatherings, and open houses. Mosques decorated, special foods prepared, and traditional silaturahmi (visiting) customs observed.

Celebration of Surabaya's diverse culinary scene featuring local specialties like rawon, soto ayam, and lontong balap. Includes cooking demonstrations, food competitions, vendor stalls, and tasting events across the city.

City-wide celebration of Surabaya's founding anniversary. Features parades, cultural performances, exhibitions about city history, fireworks displays, and community events. Highlights the city's heroism during independence struggle.

Premier jazz event featuring international and Indonesian jazz artists across multiple stages. Includes workshops, jam sessions, and food/drink vendors. Attracts music lovers from across Java.

Major literary event featuring book sales, author signings, talks, workshops, and publishing exhibitions. Includes children's activities, poetry readings, and discussions about Indonesian literature.

Month-long night market series featuring food stalls, local crafts, live music, and entertainment. Different themes each weekend across various neighborhoods. Popular family-friendly evening activity.

Celebration of Surabaya's famous street food culture. Features vendors serving local favorites like tahu tek, rujak cingur, and lontong balap. Includes cooking competitions, food demonstrations, and tasting tours.

City-wide celebrations for Indonesia's Independence Day. Features flag ceremonies, traditional games (panjat pinang, balap karung), neighborhood competitions, and patriotic performances. Buildings decorated with red-and-white themes.

Showcasing East Java's fashion designers and textile traditions. Includes runway shows, exhibitions, workshops, and pop-up markets featuring batik, contemporary designs, and sustainable fashion.

Celebration of Surabaya's architectural and historical heritage. Features guided tours of colonial buildings, heritage walks, photography exhibitions, and talks about city preservation. Highlights areas like Jalan Rajawali and old city.

Colorful kite flying competition and exhibition featuring traditional and innovative kite designs. Includes kite-making workshops, flying demonstrations, and competitions for various categories. Family-friendly outdoor event.

Showcasing emerging Indonesian and Southeast Asian musicians across genres. Features indie, alternative, electronic, and experimental music. Includes artist talks, recording workshops, and networking events.

Celebration of East Java's batik traditions with exhibitions, fashion shows, workshops, and markets. Features both traditional patterns and contemporary interpretations. Highlights local batik centers from surrounding regions.

Illumination festival featuring light installations, projections, and interactive displays across public spaces. Includes performances, food stalls, and family activities. Transforms parks and buildings with creative lighting.

Showcasing Indonesian and international independent films. Includes screenings, director Q&As, workshops, and networking events. Focus on emerging filmmakers and diverse storytelling from Southeast Asia.

Seasonal market featuring Christmas decorations, gifts, traditional foods, and entertainment. Includes carol singing, festive performances, and family activities. Celebrates Surabaya's Christian community traditions.

City-wide New Year celebrations with fireworks displays, concerts, and street parties. Major events at Tunjungan Plaza and along Jalan Pemuda. Restaurants and hotels offer special packages and parties.