Portal Pantura, Purbalingga – The 8th Mount Slamet Festival (FGS) officially started in the D’Las tourist area, Serang Village, Karangreja District, Friday, July 4, 2025. The Purbalingga Regency Government is targeting 50,000 visits during the three days of the festival.
Entering the National Calendar, FGS Showcases Event Innovations
FGS 2025 is back as one of the leading tourism agendas in Purbalingga Regency. This year is the second year that FGS has been included in the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) initiated by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf).
Head of Dinporapar Purbalingga, R Budi Setiawan, said that this year’s FGS brings many updates. Various creative activities are designed to attract domestic and foreign tourists.
“This year’s FGS presents various event innovations. This is not just a local festival, but a momentum to bring Purbalingga to the national stage,” he said.
One of the main activities that attracted attention was the procession of taking sacred water from the Tuk Sikopyah spring, which was attended by participants from 22 countries wearing their respective traditional clothes.
In addition, FGS also held a Trail Run competition, as well as breaking the MURI record by serving 8,888 portions of Nasi 3G—an acronym for Gundil, Gandul, and Gereh, local specialties.
Boosting the Local Economy, MSMEs Reap Profits
The festival, which lasts for three days, from 4 to 6 July 2025, is believed to be able to drive the community’s economy. Last year, FGS managed to attract 46,000 visitors and recorded economic transactions worth IDR 2.2 billion.
This year, the target has been increased to 50,000 visits. The government is optimistic that this target will be achieved thanks to more massive promotion and a larger scale of events.
“The economic impact will be greater, especially since the MSME sector actively participates,” said Budi.
The Head of Serang Village, Sugito, agreed with this. He said that the turnover of MSME actors increased significantly during the festival.
“Usually we only get IDR 1.5 million on weekends, but during FGS it can reach IDR 3.5 million per day,” he said.
Government Commitment: FGS Becomes a Leading Annual Agenda
The Deputy Regent of Purbalingga, Dimas Prasetyahani, stated the government’s commitment to supporting the sustainability of FGS.
“We will continue to support until the 9th, 10th, and so on FGS. We will make Serang a leading destination like Batu in Malang,” he said at the opening.
Dimas also emphasized that FGS is not only a tourism event, but also a space for preserving local culture. This festival is considered to have become the cultural identity of Purbalingga that must be maintained.
Cultural Performances Amaze Visitors
The opening ceremony of FGS 2025 was enlivened by art performances from various tourist villages. The Sikopyah Dance from Serang Village, Baladewa from Mount Wuled, to Gejog Lesung from Onje Village, performed stunningly.
The presence of these traditional arts provides its own color for visitors who come, making FGS not just a festival, but a cultural stage that educates and entertains.
Collaboration for Sustainable Tourism
The 8th FGS is a real example of collaboration between local governments, communities, and tourism actors. With the support of all parties, this festival becomes a space for empowering the creative economy and a means of promoting sustainable tourism.
Purbalingga proves that local strength can reach national and international markets through a creative and inclusive approach.***
