Pesta Folka Announces Regional Expansion to Singapore and Malaysia
Pesta Folka is taking its celebration of Indonesian culture beyond the country, announcing plans to expand into Singapore and Malaysia as part of its growing regional movement. The cultural festival will bring Indonesian creative brands, kebaya, wastra, and cultural experiences to audiences across Southeast Asia through two upcoming events.
The announcement was made during a press conference titled “Kebaya Goes Beyond: From Cultural Heritage to Youth Movement,” held as part of Pesta Folka Vol. 2 “Generasi Kebaya” at Urban Forest, Cipete, Jakarta.
The regional expansion will begin with Rooang x Pesta Folka in Singapore on 24–25 October 2026, followed by Sukaria Market Malaysia from 30 October–1 November 2026.
Through the expansion, the movement aims to connect Indonesian culture and creative businesses with a wider regional audience while introducing a younger generation to kebaya and wastra through a more contemporary approach.
Pesta Folka Takes Indonesian Culture to Southeast Asia
The upcoming regional programs represent a new step for Pesta Folka, which was created by PT Folkacommunal Kreasi Sukaria as the Nusantara realm of Sukaria Market.
Since its first edition, the festival has focused on presenting Indonesian culture through an approach that feels more casual, stylish, and relevant to younger audiences. Kebaya and wastra have become an important part of that approach, with the festival positioning traditional culture as something that can exist within contemporary lifestyles.
The move to Singapore and Malaysia expands that idea beyond Indonesia.
Rather than presenting culture solely as heritage, the initiative aims to introduce Indonesian creative experiences to regional audiences while creating new opportunities for local brands and creative players.
Founder of Folkacommunal Sara Tobing explained that the regional expansion is a natural continuation of the movement developed in Indonesia.
The initiative is intended to bring Indonesian creative brands, culture, and creative experiences to regional markets while opening opportunities for local brands to gain exposure among international audiences.
“Generasi Kebaya” Continues the Cultural Movement
The regional announcement comes during Pesta Folka Vol. 2 “Generasi Kebaya,” which takes place on 29–30 August 2026 at Urban Forest, Cipete, Jakarta.
This year’s edition places kebaya at the center of a wider cultural movement aimed at younger generations.
Through “Dara Berkebaya,” the festival encourages people to incorporate kebaya into different casual occasions. The initiative looks beyond traditional ceremonies and formal events, presenting kebaya as part of personal expression, lifestyle, and contemporary creative culture.
The movement also highlights the potential of traditional textiles and clothing to evolve alongside changing lifestyles.
For younger audiences, this means discovering ways to interact with cultural heritage without necessarily having to approach it through a formal or conventional lens.
Instead, kebaya and wastra become part of everyday expression, creativity, fashion, and community.
Bringing Local Creative Brands to Regional Audiences
An important part of the expansion is the involvement of Indonesian creative brands.
Kebaya Widuri, a local brand working in the kebaya sector, is among the creative players involved in the movement. The participation of local brands demonstrates how traditional Indonesian fashion can continue to develop through design, creativity, and new interpretations.
The regional programs will provide another platform for local creative businesses to reach audiences outside Indonesia.
For Sukaria Market Malaysia, Folkacommunal will also bring a selection of local creative brands and players from Indonesia. The initiative is intended to expand their exposure and introduce Indonesian creativity to the Malaysian market.
This approach connects cultural exchange with opportunities for the creative economy, allowing local brands to participate in a wider regional ecosystem.
Rooang x Pesta Folka Comes to Singapore
The first regional program will take place in Singapore through Rooang x Pesta Folka, a collaboration with @laloolalang.
The event is scheduled for 24–25 October 2026 at Aliwal Arts Centre, Singapore.
The collaboration will introduce experiences connected to Indonesian culture and kebaya to a Southeast Asian audience. Through the event, Indonesian cultural elements will be presented in a format designed to encourage interaction and engagement.
The Singapore program is also part of a broader effort to establish connections between Indonesian creative communities and audiences across the region.
By taking the concept outside Indonesia, the organizers hope to create new conversations around culture, creativity, and the role of traditional elements within contemporary lifestyles.
Sukaria Market Heads to Malaysia
Following the Singapore program, Sukaria Market Malaysia will take place from 30 October–1 November 2026 at JAMPJ, Malaysia.
The event will combine local brands, creative activities, and thematic experiences aimed at younger audiences.
Indonesian creative brands will also be part of the program, creating an opportunity for local businesses to gain visibility in Malaysia while connecting with a new audience.
The appearance of Indonesian brands alongside a regional audience reflects Folkacommunal’s broader ambition to create connections between creative businesses, cultural movements, communities, and young people across Southeast Asia.
Building a Regional Creative Ecosystem
The expansion is part of Folkacommunal’s wider vision to build connections between creative brands, cultural movements, communities, and younger generations across Southeast Asia.
The company currently develops three main intellectual properties: Sukaria Market, Pesta Folka, and Trinkieland.
Across these platforms, Folkacommunal applies the principles of “feel, experience, and connection” to create new ways for audiences to engage with Indonesian culture and the creative economy.
The regional expansion provides an opportunity to extend those principles beyond the domestic market.
Rather than simply bringing an event to another country, the initiative aims to establish connections between creative communities and audiences while creating opportunities for Indonesian brands to participate in the regional market.
A New Chapter for Generasi Kebaya
The regional expansion also gives the Generasi Kebaya movement a wider platform.
The initiative began with a focus on making kebaya more approachable for younger audiences in Indonesia. Through casual styling, creative interpretation, and community experiences, the movement encourages a new relationship between young people and cultural heritage.
Its expansion into Singapore and Malaysia creates an opportunity to continue that conversation with a broader Southeast Asian audience.
For Indonesian culture, the approach offers a way to introduce traditional elements through experiences that feel contemporary rather than distant.
For local creative brands, it opens the possibility of connecting their products and ideas with audiences outside Indonesia.
Pesta Folka Vol. 2 Brings Culture to Jakarta
Before heading to Singapore and Malaysia, the movement continues through Pesta Folka Vol. 2 “Generasi Kebaya” in Jakarta.
The two-day event at Urban Forest, Cipete, features a range of cultural and creative experiences.
Among the programs are Mbok Jamu Party, Tortor & Saweran with Belantara Budaya and Nauli Dane, and a screening of “Jalan Pulang” by Indonesia Kaya, featuring Sharon as one of the cast members.
Through these programs, the festival aims to position culture as something that can be experienced, celebrated, and shared by younger audiences.
The approach reflects the central idea behind Generasi Kebaya: cultural heritage can remain relevant when it becomes part of people’s experiences, lifestyles, and spaces for self-expression.
From Jakarta to the Regional Stage
With upcoming programs in Singapore and Malaysia, Pesta Folka is entering a new phase of its development.
The expansion brings together several elements that have shaped the movement from the beginning: Indonesian culture, local creative brands, community, and younger audiences.
It also creates a platform for Indonesian creativity to reach a broader regional audience while encouraging new conversations around kebaya and wastra.
The upcoming events will mark an important step in Folkacommunal’s ambition to connect Indonesia’s creative ecosystem with Southeast Asia.
For the Generasi Kebaya movement, the message is clear: cultural heritage does not have to remain within traditional boundaries. Through creativity, community, and new experiences, kebaya and Indonesian culture can continue to evolve and reach new audiences.
Upcoming Pesta Folka Regional Events
Rooang x Pesta Folka
📍 Aliwal Arts Centre, Singapore
📅 24–25 October 2026
Sukaria Market Malaysia
📍 JAMPJ, Malaysia
📅 30 October–1 November 2026
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