Ubud Festivals 2018
On the island of Bali, up north, nestled among green jungle and rice paddies, you will find the town of Ubud. This vibrant village is the cultural hub of Bali where artists of all disciplines create magic. Ubud is home to the Balinese Royal Family, museums, art galleries, textiles, wood carvings, and jewellery. Areas of Ubud that specialise in crafts are Campuan, Penestanan, Peliatan and Batuan. The religion of Bali – Balinese Hinduism – is practiced the most in Ubud by locals compared to anywhere else on the island. It is very common to see a local ceremony or cremation daily in the village.
There is lots to do and see in Ubud, but their annual festivals take the cake. These various festivals have put themselves on the world map of festivals.
Bali Spirit Festival
02 - 08 April 2018
The Bali Spirit Festival has become a permanent fixture in Ubud and this year marks its 11th year running. This festival is for spiritually inclined people from all over the world. World-leading yoga instructors and practitioners come to Ubud to participate in the festival and teach others what they know. The festival also celebrates the east and west through art, dance, health and general well-being. The main message the festival wants to promote is to foster a positive change and spread messages of love and peace toward a global impact. This year, the team from Bali Spirit Festival estimate more than 6,000 people will attend the festival. You can participate in yoga and meditation workshops, including ‘laughing yoga’ which has been very popular in past years. There are stalls with delicious and organic food, concerts performed day and night and the festival is even kid-friendly!
There are a number of different tickets and passes you can purchase for access to the 6-day festival. There is a special shuttle service that picks up from different points in Ubud.
Website: www.balispiritfestival.com
Ubud Food Festival
13 - 15 April 2018
Foodies rejoice! The Ubud Food Festival returns this year, full of mouth-watering food, workshops and talks. This festival is a three-day food fest, showcasing Indonesian cuisine and local produce, live cooking shows and culinary tours. There are also a number of side events, such as music concerts, film screenings and yoga classes. Headlining the festival this year include names like Bridge’s Bali’s head sommelier Antoine Olivain, Indonesian celebrity chefs Bara Pattiradiawane and Farah Quinn, Locavore’s Ray Adriansyah and Sayan House’s Yuki Tagami – just to name a few.
There are a number of different tickets and passes you can purchase, including tickets to the opening night party.
Website: www.ubudfoodfestival.com
Ubud Village Jazz Festival
10 - 11 August 2018
The Ubud Village Jazz Festival is a celebration of Indonesian jazz artists, as well as jazz artists from around the world. The theme for the festival this year is ‘Embracing Uniqueness’ and will occur on the open stage at the ARMA Museum in Pengosekan, Ubud. The line-up this year includes the East West European Jazz Ensemble featuring Gregory Gaynair from Germany, Peter Bernstein from the US, Piotr Orzechowski from Poland, Youn Woo Park Trio from South Korea and a large number of Indonesian jazz muscians such as Arman & Penina and more.
Website: www.ubudvillagejazzfestival.com
Bali Vegan Festival
05 - 07 October 2018
If you are a practising vegan, wanting to become one or just interested in veganism, the Bali Vegan Festival is for you. The three-day festival brings together vegan chefs, healers, musicians and animal lovers from all around the globe. It is held at Ubud’s Down to Earth Paradiso and Taksu and the message this year is to spread a message of kindness, compassion and love for animals and the earth.
Website: www.baliveganfestival.com
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
24 - 28 October 2018
The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival has certainly made a mark in the literary world and this year’s festival is no exception. The festival is a combination of book launches, talks from world-renowned authors, literary events, youth programs and more. This year, the festival will be held at various locations around Ubud such as the usual Indus restaurant, Casa Luna and Neka Museum and new places including Four Seasons, Maya Ubud and Alila Ubud.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the upcoming headliners later this year!
Website: www.ubudwritersfestival.com
