TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - Yogyakarta’s most famous street, Jalan Malioboro, was completely closed off to motor vehicles on Sunday.
The street usually filled with street vendors, motorcycles and cars was instead filled with pedestrians. No street vendors or pollution from smoke could be seen on the streets that day.
The streets rattled from sounds of the soundsystem set up near stages along the streets the whole day. Meanwhile, lights flickered and danced while reflecting various buildings along the street.
Malioboro was closed off from 17.00 to 24.00 local Yogyakarta time to celebrate Yogyakarta’s anniversary, which falls on October 7 each year. Thousands of people, dominated by youngsters, immediately swarmed the stages set up in the middle of the street. There were at least three points consisting of massive stages used for bands to show off their music styling to their adoring fans.
Head of Malioboro’s technical implementation unit, Syarif Teguh, said this year the city decided to celebrate by holding a concept of creating street stages so "all of the people can enjoy (the celebration), from street vendors to tourists".
PRIBADI WICAKSONO
