Calendar of Festivals & Cultural Events in Bali [2026 – 2027]

Ngerebong, also called Pengerebongan, is a Hindu ritual that centres around the concept of harmony.

It takes place at Pura Agung Petilan, a temple in one of Denpasar’s suburbs. It’s held 8 days after Kuningan so it always falls on a Sunday.

Ngerebong means gathering. It’s believed that the gods are gathering. The street outside is decorated with giant penjars and people from the community gather in traditional clothing for praying, cockfighting, traditional dancing, and music.

During the ceremony, some participants will become possessed and fall into a trance-like state.

While Penglipuran Village is generally a place we don't recommend visiting (find out why we didn't like it here), there is one time of year when it’s worth going, which is during the Penglipuran Village Festival.

Typically taking place across 3 days during July, the festival celebrates the unique heritage of Penglipuran and gives visitors a glimpse at the Balinese way of life.

Throughout the 3-day festival, you can enjoy traditional dance performances, processions, and ceremonies. Locals will hold workshops to teach visitors about traditional crafts such as weaving and woodworking. You’ll also see them play traditional musical instruments.

Jatiluwih Festival is a showcase of Balinese culture set among one of Bali’s most beautiful and important rice terraces.

With nature at its heart, the festival includes agricultural demonstrations, exhibits of nature photography, and painting competitions.

In 2026, the event will feature a 5k fun run event on the second day, held to commemorate 100 years of Bali tourism.

Kite flying is a long-standing tradition in Bali as a way to give thanks for a good harvest. Many villages hold their own kite festivals throughout dry season, usually in or close to rice paddies.

The period has become broadly known as 'Bali Kite Festival', but this is a little confusing as it consists of many smaller events. At these local festivals, village teams aim to build the biggest and most impressive kites in their community. Some can reach up to 10m long and require up to 10 people to fly them.

One that has grown to be particularly popular is the Rare Angon Kite Festival in Sanur. Held in July, this one attracts hundreds of the island's top kite makers who compete to take home the Governor's Cup.

Ubud Village Jazz Festival promises two nights of music, culture, and celebration featuring over 100 of the most talented jazz artists from Indonesia and around the world.

It used to take place at the ARMA Museum, but more recently has moved to the larger Sthala Ubud hotel, a 5-star Marriott property around 20 minutes drive south of Central Ubud.

This marks the date that Indonesia became independent from Japan in 1945.

Bali doesn’t celebrate to the same extent as the rest of Indonesia (the biggest events are in Jakarta), but we often see locals decorating their homes and businesses with the country’s red and white flag.

It’s a national holiday, so expect the roads to be busier and some local businesses to remain closed for the day.

This is an annual 3-day festival at the iconic Tanah Lot temple. The event features a variety of entertainment, such as music and traditional dances, alongside bustling local markets selling local handicrafts.

Food is an important part of this market, with a showcase of local Tabanan cuisine.

Each day during the festival, a Gebogan parade takes place. This is where long lines of local women carry baskets of fruits and snacks on their heads to make an offering for the Gods.

Minikino Film Week (MFW), also known as Bali International Short Film Festival, is Bali’s annual film festival with a variety of screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and workshops.

It's not held in one specific venue; instead, you'll find pop-up cinemas in malls, hotels, and even on the beach, mostly around Denpasar and Sanur. A full schedule is released closer to the start date.

One of Asia's most celebrated literary festivals, bringing together leading authors, thinkers, and readers from around the world for five days of talks, panels, workshops, and performances in Ubud. Founded in 2003, it remains one of the island's most prestigious international events.

Celebrated once every 210 days, Saraswati Day is dedicated to Dewi Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge.

Although there isn't a specific event to see, you'll notice more ceremonies than usual as locals (especially school children) pray to the goddess and show appreciation for the gift of knowledge. They make offerings to their books and, in the evening, will read at their homes or temples.

Saraswati marks the final day in the 210 day Pawukon calendar.

The days following also hold significance:

• The first day after Saraswati (Banyu Pinaruh) honours wisdom

• The second day after Saraswati (Soma Ribek) is dedicated to prosperity

• The third day after Saraswati (Sabuh Mas) is a day for wealth

• Finally, a special celebration called Pagerwesi.

Pagerwesi literally translates as 'Iron Fence' and is a day for strengthening yourself with knowledge and wisdom. Families will make large offerings and in some parts of the island will visit graves of relatives.

An annual celebration in Bali's capital with cultural dances and performances, games and competitions, and artwork on display. The festival is three days long at the end of December. There will be several stages throughout Denpasar, including a music stage with local bands.

Bali is a popular spot to spend New Year's Eve. Whether you're looking for exclusive parties at world-class beach clubs, cheap and cheerful club nights, family-friendly celebrations, or intimate dinners with a view, Bali has something for everyone.

Keep in mind that traffic in the island’s popular resort areas can become incredibly congested on New Year's Eve. Traffic often grinds to a halt around midnight, making it difficult to get taxis. To avoid this, we recommend staying within walking distance of the party or event you’re attending.

Each year on 1st January, residents of Gianyar celebrate the abundance of water in their region. The festival takes place in Suwat village and begins with worshipping at the local temple.

The highlight of the festival is Siat Yet, or Water War. Villagers divide into four teams led by the village leaders. Each starting from a different direction, teams meet at the main crossing where they have a huge water fight, throwing buckets of holy water over each other.

Details about the event are hard to find in English, so speak to locals who might be able to help.

Galungan and Kuningan is an important celebration that happens every 210 days in Bali (so usually twice per calendar year). Kuningan is always 10 days after Galungan.

It’s the period when ancestral spirits visit the Earth, and the Balinese people welcome them with elaborate offerings, amazing ceremonies, and huge feasts.

During the festival, streets across the island are adorned with colourful decorations known as penjar. If you can coincide your vacation with this celebration, you’ll see the island at its most beautiful.

Taking place in the village of Munggu (Mengwi District), Mekotek is a tradition where participants carry long bamboo poles through the streets, decorated with coconut leaves and accompanied by chanting.

Large groups will hold their bamboo poles together creating a make-shift human ladder that other villagers must climb. The aim is to make the most stable human tower.

In addition to being a bit of fun, the tradition has a deeper meaning related to the collective strength of the community and how this can ward off bad luck/evil spirits.

After the main tradition, you can expect Balinese dances, gamelan orchestras, and an upbeat festival vibe throughout the village.

Ngerebong, also called Pengerebongan, is a Hindu ritual that centres around the concept of harmony.

It takes place at Pura Agung Petilan, a temple in one of Denpasar’s suburbs. It’s held 8 days after Kuningan so it always falls on a Sunday.

Ngerebong means gathering. It’s believed that the gods are gathering. The street outside is decorated with giant penjars and people from the community gather in traditional clothing for praying, cockfighting, traditional dancing, and music.

During the ceremony, some participants will become possessed and fall into a trance-like state.

While Bali is predominantly Hindu, a thriving community of Chinese Indonesians goes somewhat unnoticed throughout the year. That's until their biggest celebration, Chinese New Year, in late January or mid-February (depending on the lunar calendar).

Many of the New Year celebrations take place in family homes or at the island’s Chinese Buddhist temples. It's worth visiting the temples during this time as they are elaborately decorated with red lanterns, money trees, and other festive ornaments.

Our favourite Chinese Buddhist temple is Satya Dharma Temple, near Benoa Port.

The Kasanga Festival takes place across 3 days during the run-up to Nyepi.

On the first day of the festival, each of Denpasar's subdistricts will showcase their Ogoh Ogoh statues in a one-of-a-kind parade. Ogoh Ogoh’s are giant homemade effigies designed to represent grotesque demons, mythological creatures, and even satirical figures.

After the parade, winners are chosen based on creativity, design, and artistic merit.

Across the rest of the festival, there are many family-friendly events such as a mini Ogoh-Ogoh parade and a sketching competition. In the evenings, there will be musical performances and DJs into the night.

Nyepi marks the new year in the Balinese Saka calendar and usually falls in March. During Nyepi, the entire island shuts down for 24 hours, earning it the nickname “the day of silence.”

During Nyepi, everyone must stay inside for the entire day. All shops, restaurants, bars, and even the airport are closed.

Nyepi isn’t just a one-day thing, the build-up is the most exciting part with events and ceremonies taking place in the days leading up to it. Here is a breakdown:

• The Melasti Ceremony – three days before Nypei (pictured above)

• Tawur Agung Kesanga & Mecaru Ceremonies – the day before Nypei

• Ogoh Ogoh Parades – the night before Nypei

• Mesabatan Api Fire War – the night before Nypei

• Nypei – Balinese New Year and Day of Silence

• Ngembak Geni – the day after Nypei

Celebrated the day after Nyepi (but worthy of its own spot), Omed-Omedan is a unique tradition in the Denpasar suburb of Sesetan.

Young single men and women line up facing one another. When instructed, they must rush together, sharing kisses while onlookers shower them with buckets of water. Hence its nickname "The Kissing Festival." Many young people even end up finding partners here.

But it’s not just about the kissing. Local markets showcase Balinese crafts, while traditional dance performances and live music make it a vibrant cultural experience for all ages. There’s even a short comedy show (in Indonesian) before the ritual.

Bali Spirit Festival is Asia’s largest yoga and wellness festival. It's a huge 6-day event taking place in Ubud. MOst recently at The Yoga Barn and Puri Padi Hotel, though it has changed venues several times.

In addition to every type of yoga you could imagine, there are meditation sessions, cacao ceremonies, ecstatic dance, sound healing, breathwork, and a full schedule of talks and seminars.

A market at the festival will serve up raw, vegan, and veggie food from local vendors, while bands and DJs will perform in the evenings.

Semarapura is an annual festival in Klungkung Regency, once the most important kingdom in Bali. It celebrates the end of the kingdom's war against Dutch colonialists in 1908.

With a carnival-like atmosphere, the festival includes traditional dances, musical performances, and a market filled with local food and crafts.

One of the more unique elements of Semarapura Festival is the showcasing of age-old traditions from surrounding villages such as the baris jangkang and sanghyang jaran ancient dances.

The festival aims to promote the town of Semarapura and the broader region as a tourist destination. Most festivities centre around Klungkung Palace (known for its Kerta Gosa pavilion), and attendees can join historical tours to get to know the town.

If you’re a foodie, this is the event for you. Ubud Food Festival is a celebration of Indonesian cuisine and local produce, held annually in Ubud.

While there is a schedule of food tours and masterclasses (paid extras), we just visited the main food market, which was totally free and had over 80 vendors serving up delicious treats. Make sure you go hungry - the free samples alone were filling enough!

The event also had a jam-packed schedule of cooking demonstrations, panel discussions, and evening entertainment from local bands and DJs.

Celebrated once every 210 days, Saraswati Day is dedicated to Dewi Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge.

Although there isn't a specific event to see, you'll notice more ceremonies than usual as locals (especially school children) pray to the goddess and show appreciation for the gift of knowledge. They make offerings to their books and, in the evening, will read at their homes or temples.

Saraswati marks the final day in the 210 day Pawukon calendar.

The days following also hold significance:

• The first day after Saraswati (Banyu Pinaruh) honours wisdom

• The second day after Saraswati (Soma Ribek) is dedicated to prosperity

• The third day after Saraswati (Sabuh Mas) is a day for wealth

• Finally, a special celebration called Pagerwesi.

Pagerwesi literally translates as 'Iron Fence' and is a day for strengthening yourself with knowledge and wisdom. Families will make large offerings and in some parts of the island will visit graves of relatives.

Ubud has long been Bali's artistic hub, home to many workshops and craftspeople preserving age-old techniques.

As part of their mission to keep traditional methods alive, studios across the town join forces to host the annual Ubud Open Studios festival.

During the three-day event, local artists open their doors to the public. The line-up includes ceramic workshops, photographers, painters, and many more. To attend, simply purchase a ticket online and use it to access these studios for the duration of the festival.

We managed to visit 6 studios in 1 day, but you can visit as many as you like over the duration of the festival. With more than 50 to choose from, you certainly won't run out. There were friendly festival wardens at each stop to provide information.

Tenganan Pegringsingan is one of Bali’s oldest villages. For many years, it was very isolated from the rest of the island, so a calendar of rituals and ceremonies ensured the land around their village remained safe and pure.

These ceremonies have been passed down through generations and still take place today. Two of their most importan traditions can be seen at Tenganan Pegringsingan Culture Festival, which takes place during the fifth month of the village’s unique calendar (usually June or July).

The celebration honours Indra, the Balinese God of War. A key tradition during the festival is the Mekare-kare (Pandan Wars). This is where young men from the village battle one another using pandan leaves and rattan shields. The aim is to graze their opponent's skin with the thorns, similar to fencing.

A second iconic ritual from the festival is Manyunan, where young women sit in a traditional swing, turned by the young men – a representation of the circle of life.

One of the biggest and longest-running festivals in Bali, the Bali Arts Festival (Pesta Kesenian Bali) is an annual event held at the Taman Werdhi Budaya Art Centre in Denpasar, from mid-June to mid-July.

The celebration kicks off with a huge street parade with thousands of performers making their way from the capital’s Bajra Sandhi Monument to the event venue.

Festivities last for an entire month from mid-June to mid-July, with daily events including traditional dancing, music competitions, puppet performances, and displays of flowers, fashion, crafts, and more.

Jatiluwih Festival is a showcase of Balinese culture set among one of Bali’s most beautiful and important rice terraces.

With nature at its heart, the festival includes agricultural demonstrations, exhibits of nature photography, and painting competitions.

In 2026, the event will feature a 5k fun run event on the second day, held to commemorate 100 years of Bali tourism.

This month-long celebration takes place at one of Bali's most important temples, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan in Bedugul.

The highlight of the event is the Gebogan Parade & Baleganjur performance, which sees long lines of women in traditional outfits carrying offerings to the gods.

In previous years, the parade has taken place daily at 1pm from Wednesday to Friday at the temple and on Saturday/Sunday at The Blooms Garden.