RRI.CO.ID, Denpasar - The 4th Kasanga Festival is set to sweep through the heart of Bali’s capital from March 6–8, 2026, bringing a refined focus to traditional arts and local craftsmanship. Located at the iconic Catur Muka statue and Puputan Badung Field, Bali, this year's event introduces a major shift in format, prioritizing heritage over modern spectacles.

Unlike previous years, the centerpiece ogoh-ogoh parade will adopt the Peed Aye system, a traditional carnival style used during the Bali Arts Festival (PKB). This move is designed to ensure that the creative performances are distributed across the entire route rather than congregating at a single point.

Deputy Mayor of Denpasar, I Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa, explained that the shift to a parade system is a direct response to previous issues with overcrowding at the Catur Muka intersection.

"The system is intended to disperse the audience so they do not pile up in the Catur Muka area. The performances will start from the beginning of the route and continue until the finish line," the Deputy Mayor stated on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The parade route will begin in front of Jayasabha (the Governor's office), circle the Catur Muka statue once, and move south along Jalan Udayana, concluding at the southern end of Jalan Gajah Mada. To ensure order, barriers will be installed along Jalan Udayana to prevent spectators from disrupting the performers' formations.

In a notable change of direction, this year’s festival will exclude large-scale music concerts, focusing instead on pure traditional performances. The culinary offerings are also strictly local, managed by the Sekaa Teruna Teruni (STT), village youth groups, who will serve traditional Balinese dishes while implementing a strict waste management system to keep the festival grounds clean.

The competition features the Top 16 Ogoh-Ogoh from Denpasar's four districts. These massive effigies will be parked along the route by 2:00 PM on the opening day, with the parade officially commencing at 5.00 p.m.

The stakes for artistic excellence are high this year, with strict judging criteria focusing on discipline and neatness. Juri I Gede Anom Ranuara emphasized that judges will deduct points or remove non-performers from the ranks to maintain the integrity of the show.

The Kasanga Festival 2026 features a competitive award structure designed to reward artistic excellence. Each of the Top 16 finalists receives IDR 30 million in development funds to support their creative process. For the top performers, the Grand Prizes include IDR 50 million for 1st Place, IDR 40 million for 2nd Place, and IDR 30 million for 3rd Place.

Additionally, runner-up prizes range from IDR 10 million to IDR 20 million, ensuring that a broad group of talented participants is recognized. Beyond the main parade, the festival also offers separate prizes for Special Categories, including mini ogoh-ogoh (both motorized and non-motorized) and ogoh-ogoh sketches. ***