Jalan Jalan Festival

A new Indonesian city festival in The Hague

Jalan Jalan, which means ‘walking’ or ‘strolling’ in Indonesian, invites visitors to discover the city via a route brimming with flavours, stories and experiences. The festival brings together people with roots in the Dutch East Indies and Indonesia, but is explicitly intended for anyone curious about this rich culture.

The Lange Voorhout forms the vibrant heart of the festival. Here, you can sample authentic and modern dishes from food trucks, enjoy live music and cultural performances, and meet creators who bring tradition and innovation together. In addition, activities take place throughout the city centre at cultural institutions, museums, theatres and other unique venues. From impressive exhibitions and films to dance performances, spoken word and inspiring talks: everywhere you go, you’ll discover new stories and meet people who showcase Indonesian culture in a contemporary way.

Programme highlights

• Museum Sophiahof
  Lovers of Indonesian cuisine can take part in various culinary workshops. For example, learn how to make pangsit, discover the flavours of krak telor during a live cooking demonstration with tasting, or get to know traditional Indonesian ingredients and cooking techniques. There are also workshops where you can learn to make sambal yourself and discover authentic recipes.
   
• Filmhuis
  At Filmhuis Den Haag, various films and documentaries will be screened that shed light on the history, culture and stories of the Dutch East Indies and Indonesia. The programme includes Mama’ku – from Jakarta to the Moluccas, Indië Verloren, Batik, Beats and Bumbu, and Grandchildren of the East.
   
• Lange Voorhout
  The central stage on the Lange Voorhout will be hosting a varied programme of music throughout the weekend. Enjoy performances by Massada, Untung, Annabel Laura, Renegades, Django Hutabelanda, Smandem and others
   
• GR8
  Discover how music from Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies has influenced Dutch musical culture. This talk focuses on the unique history of guitars, Indorock and musical cross-pollination.

Jalan Jalan presents Indonesian culture in a contemporary way, whilst respecting traditions and highlighting shared stories. The festival welcomes different generations and cultural perspectives, creating a lively and accessible city festival for residents and visitors alike.