One of the most important annual festivals in Indonesia, the nine-day Kuta Karnival has been held in Bali since 2002. Similar to the Carnival and MARDI GRAS events found in other countries, the Kuta Karnival is a time when all the usual rules of behavior are set aside.

For several nights during the Kuta Karnival, the streets of Bali are crowded with people eating and drinking. Among the festivities is a parade with floats, antique cars, a Chinese dragon, and hundreds of traditional Balinese dancers dressed in colorful costumes. Because Bali has long been a popular destination for surfers from around the world, there are also a number of surfing competitions during the carnival for competitors of all age groups. There are swimming, beach volleyball, and skateboarding contests, a wide range of live music performances, cabaret shows, and children's events, including clowns, craft making, balloons, and games. Sporting events include matches sponsored by the World Boxing Association and the World Women's Tennis organizations.

Kuta Karnival Bali Food Festival - As a part of Kuta Karnival 2014, Bali Food Festival will also be held in this mega event. All those who loves cuisines or recipes can take part in this mega food event in Kuta region. There will be lot of people joining this food festival to present there culinary skills. Apart from delicious food stalls, there will be movie screening, DJ session, children playground and lot of other entertainment activities.

Rudika the head of the organizing committee said: "This year's Kuta Karnival will feature a more colossal spirit. We hope that it could entertain local people and tourists visiting Kuta,"
Last year's staging of the event drew crowds of between 10,000 to 15,000 visitors during each day of the Kuta Karnival.
This year's staging will see the Kuta Karnival overlap with the 12th anniversary of the 2002 Bali Bombing on October 12th commemorating the date when 202 people died and scores of others died in the bombing of two Kuta nightspots.

Among the highlights of this years festival will:A sunset beach parade featuring 300 legong keraton dancer; A music festival featuring a number of local band; A food festival operated by area hotels and restaurants; A kite festival; Surfing contest; A "Paddle for Peace" event by local surfers; A turtle release program; A competition among Kuta area waiters

The symbolization of this year's Kuta Karnival will be a giant ogoh-ogoh effigy of Bhatara Baruna and Dewi Sri. Hand crafted by local artisans, these papier-mache statues will represent prosperity in the form of Dewi Sri – the goddess of rice, and the oceans via Baruna – the god of the sea.

Indonesia's Minister for Tourism and the Creative Economy, Mari Elka Pangestu, is expected to open the Kuta Karnival.

This year's Kuta Karnival will represent the 12th holding of the event, first launched in the aftermath of the Bali Bombing of 2002.

Rudika said he really appreciated the younger people of Kuta for continuing the work started 12 years ago to revive tourism in Bali post-bombing via the Kuta Karnival.