The first ‘Kuta Karnival - A Celebration of Life’ festival kicked off in 2003, the year following the first Bali bomb, created as a community recovery initiative to commemorate peace and create an international event that would represent the diversity of the Kuta area as well as Bali’s traditional arts. The success of the Kuta Karnival is evident by the thousands who have attended in previous years and the more than 90,000 participants who have been a part of the numerous festivities since 2003. This annual event lasts for 5 days and takes on a different theme each year.  Set on a 1km stretch of very popular beachfront, the Kuta Karnival always kicks off with an opening ceremony and then over the next four days other events may include a kite festival, Mepantigan (Balinese martial art) demonstration, youth races, Barong reptile show, cartoon exhibition, bartender competition, street art and sand sculpture competition, surf wear brand events, movie screenings, skateboarding activities, sunset Legong dances, music awards, t-shirt cartoon competition, an environmental day and much more. Another anticipated highlight is the Bali Food Festival that features row upon row of tightly packed food stalls serving as diverse a range of culinary delights as one would find on any of Kuta’s bustling streets. The smells of German bratwurst and Persian kebabs intermingle with babi guling and grilled sate making it a constant challenge not to consistently stuff your face during the duration of the two-day festival. Also not to be missed is the closing ceremony that features a street parade that colorfully represents the diversity of Kuta community.