22 Years Celebrating Heritage Flavours in Four Cities
Culinary festivals are no longer merely places to hunt for food, but have evolved into part of a lifestyle, recreational spaces, and places where people rediscover the stories behind a flavour. Capturing this shift, Summarecon Mall is again holding culinary festivals simultaneously in Kelapa Gading, Serpong, Bekasi, and Bandung from August to September 2026, continuing a journey that has been built over 22 years.
Summarecon Director Soegianto Nagaria said that cuisine holds an important position because it is not only about taste, but also carries stories and the cultural identity of society. “Cuisine is an inseparable part of Indonesian culture and life. Various culinary offerings not only provide flavour, but also bring stories, traditions, and values that are part of Indonesia’s cultural wealth,” Soegianto said recently.
According to him, this wealth must be preserved so that it does not stop at one generation. Culinary festivals serve as a space to bring people back together with legendary foods, regional flavours, and the traditions that accompany them. “This is what we want to continue to safeguard so that this wealth remains and can be enjoyed from generation to generation,” he said.
This effort goes hand in hand with support for culinary businesses, including UMKM, which have long been an important part of maintaining Indonesia’s diversity of flavours. “On the other hand, we also want UMKM players, who are an important part of Indonesia’s culinary wealth, to have greater opportunities to develop their businesses,” Soegianto said.
He expressed hope that the consistency of holding the festival for more than two decades can benefit the public while opening greater opportunities for business players. “We hope that what has been running for 22 years can continue to provide benefits, both for the public and for Indonesian culinary business players,” he said.
The journey of Summarecon’s culinary festival began in Kelapa Gading in 2004 through Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe (KTD). At that time, KTD was part of the JF3 Food Festival, a collaboration between Summarecon and the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government.
The spirit built from the start was not merely about gathering food vendors in one location. The festival became a space to celebrate culinary diversity while building togetherness among visitors, business players, communities, and the public.
The concept then expanded to Serpong, Bekasi, and Bandung. Each festival has its own identity, but all share the same common thread: bringing together cuisine, entertainment, culture, and experience in one space.
In August 2026, the four festivals are being held almost simultaneously. The Serpong Culinary Festival runs from 13 August to 13 September, Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe from 14 August to 27 September, Hungry Playground in Bekasi from 14 August to 20 September, while the Bandung Culinary Festival runs from 25 August to 27 September 2026.
At Summarecon Mall Kelapa Gading, this year’s Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe carries the theme “Lokarasa Nusantara”. The festival, which has become one of Jakarta’s annual culinary agendas, features more than 140 legendary culinary tenants with thousands of authentic menus from various regions.
The culinary experience is enhanced through thematic decorations, traditional cultural performances, and music performances. Visitors come not only to taste food, but are also invited into an atmosphere that tells stories about the regions of origin and the journey of a cuisine.
KTD is also combined with the Wonderful Culinary Expo (WCE). This area presents premium international culinary products such as artisan cheese, dairy products, meat shops, chocolate, and specialty coffee.
The blend of Nusantara cuisine and international products shows how food festivals have developed into a broader space for flavour exploration.
A different experience is offered by the Serpong Culinary Festival, which has been running since 2011. Entering its 14th edition, FKS maintains its distinctive character by taking visitors on a culinary journey to a different region each year.
In the 2026 edition, the festival carries the theme “Satu Jalur Seribu Rasa - Lintas Sumatera” (One Route, A Thousand Flavours - Across Sumatra).
Cuisine from various regions of Sumatra is gathered in one area with decorations designed to resemble a cross-regional journey. With this concept, visitors do not need to travel between cities to find the variety of foods usually spread across various locations.
The experience is complemented by the “Makan Satu Jalur Seribu Hadiah” programme. Visitors can collect stamps from transactions at FKS booths and have the chance to win prizes in the form of precious metals.
This format shows the shift of culinary festivals from mere eating activities to experiences that combine exploration, entertainment, and visitor interaction.
The most visible change this year is at Summarecon Mall Bekasi. The festival previously known as Pasar Senggol has now transformed into Hungry Playground.
Pasar Senggol first appeared in 2014 with a night market atmosphere. Entering its 11th edition, the concept has been updated into a modern culinary festival that more strongly combines food with entertainment and community activities.
In addition to presenting viral Nusantara and international cuisine, Hungry Playground offers various activities that allow visitors to spend more time in the festival area.
One of its attractions is the Frosty Carnival with an airdomed snow park experience. Inside, there is a Snow Playground, Jumbo Ice Slide, and Ice Skating.
Other agendas include the Showtomotive Series, Dance & C…