Residents Hope the 2025 Bengkalis Colok Lamp Festival Can Go Global
BENGKALIS –ASWINNEWS.COM – The Colok Lamp Festival, which is an annual tradition of the Malay community in Bengkalis Regency, has again received a warm welcome from residents. This tradition, which has been passed down from generation to generation, is not only a means of friendship and spreading Ramadan, but has also become an icon of religious tourism that makes the region proud, especially Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province. The community also expressed their appreciation and a number of hopes to the Bengkalis Regency Government through the Bengkalis Regency Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Sports Office (Disparpora).
Various elements of society pray and hope that this year’s Colok Lamp Festival will be successful and lively. A number of villages took part in the creativity competition for making colok lamps, with various shapes of towers, mosques, and ships, decorated with thousands of kerosene lamps. The beauty of the lights that light up at night is an attraction for local and out-of-town tourists.
One of the residents of Pangkalan Batang Village, Hafiz, said that this festival is not just a tradition of lighting on the night of Ramadan, but has become a source of pride for the Bengkalis Regency community, especially Bengkalis Island,
“We are very happy to see the attention of the local government, especially the Disparpora, which continues to support this colok lamp tradition. Not only preserving culture, but also Cultural Creation for the community,” he said, Thursday (03/20/2025).
In line with that, Nur Fitri, a resident of Pambang Village, Bantan District, said that he hopes that promotion will be further increased so that more villages will participate in the Colok Lamp Contest so that tourists coming to Bengkalis will increase.
Responding to various assessments and suggestions from the community, the Head of Tourism Alwizar, representing the Head of the Bengkalis Regency Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Sports Office, said that his party greatly appreciates the enthusiasm of the community who continue to maintain and enliven the Colok Lamp Festival.
“We are grateful for all the input from the community. This year we will improve supporting facilities, one of which is wider promotion. We want the Bengkalis Colok Lamp Festival to be included in the national tourism calendar,” he said.
Alwizar also added that the Bengkalis Disparpora will strive to ensure that this tradition is preserved.
“Colok lamps are the identity of Bengkalis Malay culture. We hope that in the future, this festival will not only be felt by the local community, but will also become a world-class cultural tourism destination,” he concluded.
With the spirit of mutual cooperation and full support from the government, the Colok Lamp Festival in Bengkalis Regency is believed to continue to shine, become the pride of the community, and strengthen regional identity on the national and international stages.
Author Desi Mayasari
Editor Ardes
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