2023 Indonesian Festival in Somersworth offers, food, dance: What to know before you go
SOMERSWORTH — Thousands of people are expected in the city's downtown for the 10th annual Indonesian Festival to be held Saturday, Sept. 16.
The festivities are a celebration of a culmination of efforts by the Indonesian community. It’s been six years since Indonesian Community Connect was formed as a nonprofit to lead the charge for community services and two since the vision for the world’s first Little Indonesia district started to take shape.
The festival was scheduled to be held outdoors at the Somersworth Plaza. Due to a forecast of rain connected to the impact of Hurricane Lee, the entire event has now been moved to inside Somersworth High School.
This year's festival includes modern, traditional and interactive dances and martial arts performances, in addition to music from different islands of Indonesia. The eastern Indonesian music performer group Ana Timur Group will perform, featuring Dian Sorowea from Maumere, NTT and Etgard Kalengke from Tentena, Sulawesi Tengah.
There will be street food vendors highlighting flavors from across Indonesia, as well as retail vendors from local and Indonesian businesses from across New England showcasing products like clothing, jewelry, crafts, souvenirs and art. Great Bay Community College, Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and other businesses will provide education about services and employment.
“This annual festival is a celebration of our local community and Indonesian culture,” Indonesian Community Connect President Raude Raychel said. “It’s a festival that brings people together to celebrate one another and boost businesses across the community. The work we do to bring the Little Indonesian project to life is not just an added value for the Indonesian community, but for the city we call home.”
Admission is free and open to the community.
Information: indonesianconnect.org/indofest
Growth of Indonesian Community Connect in Somersworth
Last year was the festival’s grand return, following a brief hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. More than 50 performers from the province of Papua in Indonesia told stories through traditional dances. The festivities drew thousands to the city and received praise from local government officials and Indonesian dignitary guests in attendance.
The annual festival falls on the heels of Indonesia Independence Day, which is celebrated by Somersworth and Dover communities each year with a ceremonial flag raising. Each year, members of the community and local officials gather at their city hall to hoist the Indonesian flag to the top of the flag pole as the Indonesian national anthem is sung. The Seacoast of New Hampshire has the largest Indonesian population north of Manhattan.
The event has grown substantially throughout the years. It started as a grassroots effort by locals in the city to promote inclusivity among residents. Somersworth resident and business owner Emmett Soldati was part of that group, then called the Friends of Somersworth, which centered around promoting art and culture in the community. In its first year, the celebration was mostly an Indonesian food festival with several fashion vendors and a few performances.
“We didn’t expect a large turnout for its debut but hundreds showed up,” he recalled. “What makes it successful year after year is the work that ICC has put in around these creative programs, partnerships and events.”
The festival was hosted by Friends of Somersworth for two more years before ICC started to run it.
“At the time, not many people realized there was such a large number of people of Indonesian descent here,” he said. “Now we are not only educated about our neighbors and their culture, but we openly embrace it. I’m extremely proud of how the festival has been able to open minds, connect people to a culture that may not be their own, and welcome diversity among neighbors. It has changed Somersworth’s reputation for the better.”
Maddie Wysocki is a Somersworth resident who has volunteered for ICC for years and helped plan the first few annual festivals. She said that while it may have started as a small idea, it’s become something that is “bigger than we could have ever imagined.”
“The festival teaches people about the different Indonesian islands and their unique traditions, culture, food and dances. Where else can you get a taste of the popular cuisine from one place and a cultural dance from another?”
While ICC transitions from a physical presence on High Street to a temporary digital presence, members are working behind the scenes to continue the momentum behind finding a permanent home for the first Little Indonesia project. ICC’s thriving business partnership program, which helps connect local Indonesian people with jobs and helps provide translation and other services to local businesses, is an example of the ongoing work to build relationships in the greater community. The nonprofit has become a vital resource to the area as a small business navigator, connecting members of the community with social services. ICC’s role has long been considered a “hub” for the community it serves.
The festival is sponsored and supported by Kennebunk Savings Bank, Bank of Indonesia, the U.S. Embassy in D.C., the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in New York, Wentworth Douglas and others.
“Everyone involved with ICC expresses a deep sense of gratitude towards the support from the community,” Raychel said. “The help from our sponsors, vendors, community volunteers and visitors not only keeps this event running smoothly every year, but it helps us grow and expand it. We welcome you to experience it firsthand.”
Information: indonesianconnect.org and the ICC- Indonesian Community Connect Facebook and Instagram pages.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 2023 Indonesian Festival in Somersworth NH: What you need to know
