KBRN, Jakarta: Thousands of visitors crowded the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) area during New Year’s celebrations on Thursday, January 1, 2026. Since early morning, the public enthusiastically joined various activities in the government core zone, including around the State Palace.

Alimudin, Deputy for Community Empowerment at the IKN Authority, said the New Year festivities were lively and full of togetherness. He noted that this year’s celebration carried the tagline “2026: Plant, Green the Earth.”

The program began with a tree-planting activity on January 1, symbolizing IKN’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental preservation.

Beyond the greening initiative, visitors enjoyed a range of cultural and entertainment activities, including painting, demonstrations of the traditional sumpit game, and performances featuring the indigenous Sampe musical instrument.

These activities were designed to provide both interaction and entertainment for the public. The area around the State Palace also remained open to visitors, drawing enthusiastic crowds.

Local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) were involved in the celebration, with around 15 businesses operating stalls from December 30, 2025, through January 4, 2026.

Alimudin said public enthusiasm was so high that the number of MSME stalls may be increased. “There are so many visitors at IKN, just like during Christmas. That’s why we plan to add more MSME booths,” he explained.

Public access to the Nusantara Palace area will remain open until January 4, 2026, with visits managed in stages by the IKN Authority.

One visitor, Riska from Lombok who works in Balikpapan, expressed her admiration for the New Year atmosphere at IKN. She said she had already visited three times. “Day by day, IKN is becoming more extraordinary. The atmosphere is green, cool, and beautiful,” she said, adding that she deliberately spent the New Year holiday with her family at IKN.

As visitor numbers increased, vehicle parking was redirected to the eastern axis road beside the State Palace, as the main parking area could no longer accommodate the surge in vehicles. (Diffa Sephiawardhani/Sri Wahyuni)