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Karawo, a traditional hand-embroidered fabric that has existed for roughly more than four centuries, is one of Gorontalo Province's cultural heritage. To celebrate and preserve the unique textile, the Karawo Carnival Gorontalo is held annually.
The carnival is an annual event showcasing the beauty of karawo and providing a space for the artistic, cultural, and creative expressions of the Gorontalo people.
Karawo Carnival Gorontalo was first held in 2011 and is now included among 110 national tourism festivals listed in the Tourism Ministry's Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) for 2025. The festival's 2025 edition was held in Sep. 27, 2025.
The carnival's unique feature lies in karawo itself. Each thread pulled, cut, and re-embroidered reflects the perseverance, patience, and love of the Gorontalo people for their culture.
Karawo is a symbol of craftsmanship, a philosophy of life, and the pride of the Gorontalo people that deserves wider recognition, both domestically and internationally.
Karawo Carnival Gorontalo 2025 has "The Threads of Nusantara's Heritage" as its theme, which emphasized Karawo's position as part of Indonesia's cultural heritage
During the carnival, karawo cloth were displayed in the form textiles as well as produced into carnival costumes, fashion pieces, and contemporary works. The unique attraction demonstrated how tradition can blend with innovation.
In addition to a fashion parade, the carnival also featured a variety of side events that include a Gorontalo culinary festival, a "Karawo in Stories" storytelling competition, and the Hulonthalo Art & Craft Festival.
Hence, visitors of Karawo Carnival Gorontalo both gained knowledge about Karawo cloth and experienced the richness of Gorontalo culture in its entirety.
The festival has been proven to record a beneficial economic impact. The event saw transaction value in 2024. The Indonesian government targeted Karawo Carnival Gorontalo 2025 to record Rp 1 billion of transaction value.
"If we look at last year's 30,000 visitors, of course there were tourists from outside Gorontalo City. That means it helps us meet our target of attracting domestic tourists," said Tourism Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa at Karawo Carnival Gorontalo 2025.
She continued by expecting the carnival to attract 50,000 visitors this year, as part of efforts to realize the Tourism Ministry's target of 1.08 billion domestic tourist trips.
With the support of the central and regional governments, businesses, and the local community, the Karawo Carnival Gorontalo is expected to become a cultural tourism draw that supports domestic tourist trips while strengthening local identity.
