In effort to maintain or even improve popularity of batik both nationwide as well as worldwide, Solo Batik Carnival is conducted every year since 2008. The latest event was organized by Solo Center Point Foundation in collaboration with the city government of Surakarta, the official name of Solo.

Inspired by Jember Fashion Carnival which incorporates street fashion parade, designed as a community-based carnival Solo Batik Carnival is aimed to become an international event. No wonder that the two events are conceptually similar with one intrinsic distinction, Solo Batik Carnival makes it mandatory to use batik as the main material for the costumes.

It is not an even for fun as it is aimed to present high quality fashion exhibition. Before participating in the carnival all participants have to enroll into a months long fashion design course. The designed costumes will then have to be made and then worn by the participants in carnival that takes place along the main street of Solo, Jalan Slamet Riyadi that ends at the mayor office.

Initially Solo Batik Carnival was conducted in daylight. But since the fourth year the schedule was shifted to be started in the evening. Magnificently luxurious batik material creatively set into beautiful fashion creations look glorious under colorful floodlights, making the event even more appealing. Floods of attendees are coming not only from Solo and surrounding areas but also from other cities and provinces. To make it easier for both participants and attracted attendees to mark their schedule, starting from 2009 Solo Batik Carnival has a fix schedule, every June.

Each year the event brought a uniquely different theme, Masks, Flower of the Universe, Miraculous Legend, and so forth, which then translated into the costume designs. Combination of classic batik patterns with contemporary modern motives dressed up with various accessories like tiaras and beads makes the event getting more colorful every year.

To expand its exposure last year a delegation of Solo Batik Carnival was sent to participate Chingay Festival in Singapore, which receive wide public appreciation.

The history noted that during the colonial age, Pasar Klewer is a train stopover station. Crowd of passengers attracted merchants to offer various goods, the area surrounding the train station then grew into a marketplace known Pasar Slompretan. The name “slompratan” – in Javanese mean trumpet – comes from the train horn which to people ears sounded like trumpet. As time went by Pasar Slompretan hosted more and more batik merchants. Batik supply was carried by laborers on their shoulder, leaving exceeding textile waving around, a condition which in Javanese expressed as “berkleweran”. Decades later the former name Pasar Slompretan faded away and people prefer to call it Pasar Klewer instead.

Back in 1970 the government refurbished the market into an ample two story building that hosted more than 2000 kiosks. Corridors and stairways were wide to impose even more spaciousness.

Traversing along crisscrossing corridor from one block to another we can find various kinds of batik. In addition to fabric there are also ready-made clothes from traditional Javanese costume called “kebaya” to daily clothing for kids. More than native batik of Solo, there are also batik types from other areas each with unique distinction like batik from Pekalongan, Banyumas, Madura, and Yogyakarta.

From cotton stamped batik costs a few bucks to silk hand-painted batik costs more than a grand can be brought back home at a fraction of price at boutiques and shops with one condition, you have to posses top bargaining skill. Here at Pasar Klewer, bargaining is an art. If you buy plenty then the merchant will make it a bulk order with unbelievable wholesaler discount.

On the upper floor are various kind of textile, making Pasar Klewer not only a huge batik marketplace but also textile of any kinds. Here at the second floor you can also find tailors who can magically change the raw fabric you bought into beautiful clothes in a blink of your eyes.