TEMPO.CO, Samarinda - Samarinda City will organize the Mahakam Festival 2015 on November 6 to 8, 2015, to promote the city, in particular, and East Kalimantan Province, in general, as tourist destinations.

"Mahakam Festival is an annual event to promote the culture and tourism of Samarinda City and East Kalimantan in order to attract tourists," Faisal, the head of the Samarinda tourism office, stated here, recently.

The festival will be held in areas along the Mahakam river bank and will be enlivened by traditional dance and song performances, exhibitions, and competitions, or races.

The Mahakam Sampe Music Festival, featuring several musicians playing the Dayak traditional musical instrument called "sampe" or "sape," will also be held to coincide with the Mahakam Festival.

Other attractions will include a Hudoq Parade featuring traditional Dayakdancers, Mahakam Sunset Gower, Jazz Fiesta, and the Tajong Samarinda cultural performance.

The festival will feature a total of 28 activities, an increase from 21 activities in 2014.

The races to be organized during the event will include a river crossing competition, powerboat race, jet ski race, and flaying board race.

An indie band festival, pub band parade, drum band parade, dangdut show, cultural parade, traditional culinary competition, and gemstone exhibition will also be organized on the Mahakam riverfront.

ANTARA