Hundreds of Tourists Attend Pasa Harau Art and Culture Festival in Harau Valley
The 8th Pasa Harau Art & Culture Festival 2026 took place vibrantly in Nagari Harau, Harau District, Limapuluh Kota Regency, West Sumatra, from 31 July to 2 August 2026. Organised by the Pasa Harau Community, the festival was supported by the ‘Dana Indonesiaku’ programme from the Indonesian Ministry of Culture.
Rahmad Fauzan, Director of Pasa Harau, stated that the event was further supported by various collaborative partners, including art studios from West Sumatra, the Bintang Kidul Foundation, the Umar Kayam Foundation, and the MPM Association. The festival drew numerous tourists from various regions in West Sumatra—including Padang, Sawableunto, Bukittinggi, Padang Panjang, and Agam—as well as from other parts of Indonesia such as Riau, Jakarta, and Yogyakarta. International tourists were also present to witness the festival amidst the beautiful landscape of the Harau Valley.
Pasa Harau is one of Indonesia’s community-based festivals, where the entire organisation is managed by local residents and cultural communities. Roby Satria, a representative from the Cultural Preservation Centre (BPK) Region III, expressed appreciation for the festival’s consistency, noting that many cultural festivals in Indonesia fail to continue year after year, whereas Pasa Harau has successfully endured for eight years.
The Deputy Regent of Limapuluh Kota, Ahlul Badrito Resha, emphasised that culture should be embodied through hospitality towards guests. He encouraged making Pasa Harau an inspiration for advanced tourism that relies on the community, respecting both culture and nature to ensure sustainability.
The Head of Nagari Harau, Syukriandi, welcomed the success of the 8th edition. He noted that this year’s festival was organised without budget support from the Nagari due to ongoing budget efficiency and limitations. However, he highlighted that the event significantly contributes to the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Harau. He expressed hope that in 2027, the Limapuluh Kota Regency Government could allocate funds to support the festival, as the village budget is currently focused on national priority programmes.
The positive impact was directly felt by local MSME players. Usi, a vendor of trinkets and coffee, reported satisfying revenues during the three-day festival. Similarly, Ina, a food vendor, noted that business was good, despite not being able to provide as much satay as usual. She expressed hope for even larger crowds in the future.
On the third day, the 2nd Harau Walk Fest became a favourite activity, with 402 participants from West Sumatra, Riau, and Jakarta completing 5km and 10km routes around the Harau Valley area. Plans are underway to introduce more challenging routes in 2027 as part of a ‘sport tourism’ concept.