Update From The Golo Koe Festival

The Diocese of Labuan Bajo, together with the West Manggarai Regency Government and various partners, officially launched a series of events for the 2026 Labuan Bajo Maria Assumpta Nusantara Golo Koe Festival on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 6:00 a.m. WITA at Sudamala Beach, Labuan Bajo.

The Golo Koe Bunda Maria Nusantara 2025 Festival, a celebration of faith and culture, once again reaffirms its commitment to strengthening Labuan Bajo’s identity not only as a nature tourism destination but also as a spiritual tourism and Catholic pilgrimage destination in Indonesia. This inclusive spiritual celebration is organized by the Diocese of Labuan Bajo and is one of the Catholic-based festivals on the island of Flores.

The procession began yesterday at St. Martinus Parish in Bari, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. The entire parish community gathered to welcome Our Lady of Maria Assumpta Nusantara at the old chapel located on the beach in the village of Bari. A number of Muslim representatives also took part in the event, reflecting the life of the Catholic community in this northern coastal region of Flores Island, which lives alongside a Muslim community.

The Golo Koe Festival marks its fourth year in 2025. This Catholic religious festival in Labuan Bajo, infused with the distinctive cultural elements of Manggarai, is held annually from August 10 to 15. Although the dates and main program remain the same, each year’s festival is marked by unique and special highlights. Here, we briefly review the festival’s first year and subsequent years, along with their distinctive features.

The Golo Koe Festival 2025 was officially announced with great fanfare during a launch event held in the courtyard of the West Manggarai Regent’s Office on the morning of Friday, May 9, 2025. West Manggarai Deputy Regent, Yulianus Weng, accompanied by Labuan Bajo Bishop Mgr. Maksimus Regus, Vicar General of the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, struck a gong to signal the start of this annual religious festival.