Laughter echoed throughout last weekend. Gya! Dolan Sesarengan Festival 2025 was successfully held on July 26–27, 2025, at the Wahanarata Museum (formerly the Royal Carriage Museum of Keraton Yogyakarta). Gya! Dolan is an annual festival held by Keraton Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Palace) to celebrate National Kids Day on July 20. 2025 is their third year to hold this event, and it continues to grow in size each year.
“Manunggaling Surasa” is the theme they chose for this year’s agenda, meaning “United in the same feeling” in Javanese. To reflect this theme, Gya! Dolan Sesarengan featured a variety of engaging activities, including theater performances, dance, music, and talk shows with child development practitioners.
The festival offered at least three main areas: Panggung Anak (Children’s Stage), Dolanan Anak (Children’s Playgrounds), and Lokakarya (Workshop area). Keraton Yogyakarta also collaborated with various communities and children’s schools in Yogyakarta, such as Kampoeng Hompimpa, Tarkiddos Violin, Bobung Tourism Village, Pinilih Sedayu, Omah Cangkem, Ruma Gunakarsa, Kampung Dongeng Yogyakarta, SLB Negeri 2 Yogyakarta, SD Tumbuh, and the Kahanane Project to perform in Gya! Dolan.
The event was also attended by GKR (Gusti Kanjeng Ratu) Bendara, who serves as the Penghageng Nityabudaya (Responsible for museums and archival management of Keraton Yogyakarta). Other notable attendees included renowned Indonesian actor Dwi Sasono, representatives from the Badan Otorita Borobudur (BOB), the Tourism Office, and the Social Service of Yogyakarta.
“We always want to provide a safe and fun space for children to learn more about traditional games and culture in an interactive way,” said GKR Bendara at the opening ceremony on July 26, 2025.
Another highlight of Gya! Dolan Sesarengan is its collaboration with Pasar Wiguna, one of the most popular eco-cultural and artisan markets in Yogyakarta, which took part in an area called ‘Pasar Bungah’. Pasar Wiguna featured over 20 local brands from Yogyakarta, offering a variety of categories including culinary, fashion, crafts, artisan perfume, and home living goods.
Gya Dolan Sesarengan 2025 is not just a moment to celebrate National Children’s Day, but also a strategic step by Keraton Yogyakarta to preserve culture, provide equal space for children, families, and communities, and support a harmonious, inclusive culture in Yogyakarta.