Lively lantern parade for Singkawang City Cap Go Meh Festival 2025

The lantern parade which was part of the series of Chinese New Year 2576 and Cap Go Meh 2025 Festivals in Singkawang City, West Kalimantan Province was successfully held on Feb. 10, 2025. Thousands of residents poured onto the streets to witness the excitement of the lantern parade.

The parade was started by the beating of the loku instrument by Acting Singkawang Mayor Sumastro together with the West Kalimantan Police Chief Ir. Gen. Pipit Rismanto, Singkawang Mayor-elect Tjhai Chui Mie, the Chinese New Year and Cap Go Meh General Chair Bun Chin Tong, and members of the local Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda).

The parade began with the Nine Dragon performance by the Santo Yosep Singkawang Group, followed by a Chinese lion dance attraction and the appearance of hundreds of decorated cars with Chinese New Year and Cap Go Meh styling.

Acting Singkawang Mayor Sumastro said that excitement and joy in this Year of the Wood Snake,is a strong signal of the beauty of tolerance and peace in Singkawang City, which he claimed to be the most tolerant city in Indonesia. 

“Singkawang is celebrating, and this is an expression of a city full of tolerance and love for peace which is shown by this amazing event,” said Sumastro. “Many regions want to emulate similar events. However, it cannot be as grand and luxurious as in Singkawang City.”

“Hopefully at the peak event on Feb. 12, 2025, our VVIP guest, the Vice President [Gibran Rakabuming Raka], could be present among us,” he said. “Let’s have fun tonight celebrating the lantern parade.”

Yuli, a tourist from Taiwan, said that she has never missed attending the Chinese New Year and Cap Go Meh celebrations in Singkawang City even though she has been a Taiwanese citizen for 20 years.

“Every day the development of Singkawang is getting more advanced, [and] every year when I go home it seems like the Chinese New Year and Cap Go Meh events are getting more crowded. The appearance of the attractions is also different every year,” said Yuli. “It’s so lively, so crowded, so full of people, I don’t know what else to say. I’ve been here for a month just to watch Cap Go Meh, and also to bring my family on vacation.”