Pacitan, July 5, 2025 — Minister of Creative Economy, Teuku Riefky Harsya, attended the Ronthek Festival in Pacitan, East Java. Minister Teuku Riefky expressed his appreciation for the festival, which this year marked its 13th edition, as a collaboration between traditional arts and the regional creative economy.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf/Bekraf - Kemenekraf dukung festival Ronthek Pacitan 2025 padukan tradisi dan ekonomi kreatif dari daerah, Pacitan, Sabtu (5/7/2025).
“This festival reflects the strength of a creative economy rooted in local wisdom. It is an example of how the performing arts and music subsectors can become a new engine for national economic growth that starts from the regions,” said Minister Teuku Riefky on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
The festival, held in the Pacitan Regency Square, carried the theme ‘Pacitan Sumandhang Nugraha’ and the tagline ‘70 Miles Sea Paradise’. Ronthek itself is a traditional performance art from Pacitan, originally rooted in the Ramadan ronda sahur (a Ramadan tradition where residents walk around neighborhoods at night, beating drums to wake people for the pre-dawn meal/suhoor). The instruments are made of bamboo and played by striking them.
Today, Ronthek has developed into an annual art festival that combines elements of music, dance, and local creativity. Minister Teuku Riefky stated that the Ronthek Festival represents a synergy with the creative economy across various subsectors. It has been included in the Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) since 2023 and continues to be part of the KEN 2025 calendar.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf/Bekraf.
Participants from 12 districts across Pacitan Regency, along with three groups of high school students, showcased their performances at the event. In addition, the festival was also accompanied by an exhibition of creative economy and local MSME products at the Pasar Krempyeng, featuring the potential of various subsectors in Pacitan Regency. The activities run for three days, from July 5 to 7, 2025, starting at 7:00 p.m. each evening.
Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono, who was also present, highlighted the importance of nurturing and developing youth creativity through culture. He emphasized that festivals like this must continue to be empowered.
“In this land of 70 Miles of Paradise, we not only see natural beauty but also the richness of performing arts that continue to be nurtured and developed,” said the figure popularly known as Ibas.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf/Bekraf.
The festival stands as a tangible example of implementing hexahelix collaboration between the central and regional governments, creative industry players, academia, communities, media, and businesses in fostering the growth of the local creative ecosystem. Also in attendance were Pacitan Regent Indrata Nur Bayuaji, Deputy Regent Gagarin Sumrambah, and other local government officials.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
