Adi Arnawa Promises Rp500 Million Bonus for Badung 2026 Ogoh-Ogoh Champions

Badung Regency’s regent I Wayan Adi Arnawa has promised a substantial additional grant for the winners of the Badung Caka Fest 2026 ogoh-ogoh competition. A total of 21 ogoh-ogoh from seven judging zones will compete for hundreds of millions of rupiah in extra prizes.

“As the regent, I will provide an additional grant for the first place of Rp 500 million,” Adi Arnawa said in his remarks during the opening of Badung Caka Fest 2026 at the Balai Budaya Giri Nata Mandala Puspem Badung, on Friday night, 6 March 2026.

Not only the champion, Arnawa also promised a Rp 450 million grant for second place. Third place would receive Rp 400 million, and fourth Rp 350 million. Participants outside the top four would receive Rp 200 million each. Arnawa said the extraordinary bonus was a form of appreciation for the physical and mental efforts of the sekaa teruna (youth groups) in crafting their ogoh-ogoh.

The PDIP politician said he was moved by the enthusiasm of participants who safeguarded their ogoh-ogoh amid extreme weather. He hoped the spirit of the sekaa teruna would help drive Badung’s development agenda.

“I saw on social media people hugging their ogoh-ogoh to protect their works from the weather. This is exceptional. Behind the cultural value, there is a spirit of togetherness and gotong royong that is truly maintained by the sekaa teruna,” Arnawa said.

According to Arnawa, this ogoh-ogoh event is not merely a pre-Nyepi activity. He views the moment as a space for youth creativity.

Badung Caka Fest 2026 runs for three days, from 6-8 March 2026. A total of 21 top ogoh-ogoh works in Badung will parade in the final assessment before the winners are announced. Before narrowing to the 21 regency-level nominees, 583 ogoh-ogoh works by sekaa teruna across Badung were assessed in the initial stage. The hundreds of participants were divided into seven assessment zones to compete for the top three positions in each zone.