Jakarta. One of Indonesia’s largest urban music festivals, Pestapora, will go ahead this weekend in central Jakarta despite a week of deadly riots that rocked the capital, organizers said Wednesday.

The three-day event, scheduled for Sept. 5–7 at JIExpo Kemayoran, will feature dozens of top Indonesian acts. Promoter Boss Creator announced adjusted operating hours, with performances running from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. instead of the usual afternoon-to-midnight format, to address security concerns.

“Pestapora 2025 will still take place as planned, but we have adjusted the schedule to give audiences a safe and comfortable experience,” festival director Kiki Aulia Ucup said in a statement on Instagram.

The annual festival is one of the most anticipated events on Jakarta’s cultural calendar, drawing tens of thousands of fans. This year, it will introduce a new “song swap” concept, pairing artists to perform each other’s hits. Highlights include collaborations between Slank and Sal Priadi, Juicy Luicy covering Peterpan, and Iwan Fals with Ebiet G. Ade. Other matchups feature Hindia with Bernadya, Barasuara with .Feast, Maliq & D’Essentials with Soneta Group, and Mocca with Reality Club.

The decision to keep Pestapora on schedule is being read as a sign that Jakarta remains conducive for large public gatherings following a week of violent unrest.

Since Aug. 25, protests against lawmakers’ allowances have escalated into riots across several Indonesian cities, leaving at least 10 people dead, according to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM). Victims included students, online motorcycle taxi drivers, and local officials, with some allegedly killed by police.

Jakarta police have arrested more than 300 people, including six accused of inciting unrest through social media. Authorities also reported that 22 of those detained tested positive for narcotics. 

Despite the tension, the staging of Pestapora is being promoted as a symbolic reassurance that public life in the capital is returning to normal.

“We hope the festival will be a safe space where people can still celebrate music together,” Ucup said.

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