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Independence Day on 17 August is Indonesia's most significant national public holiday, marking the proclamation of Indonesian independence by Sukarno and Hatta on 17 August 1945, just two days after the Japanese surrender in World War Two. The State Ceremony at Istana Negara (State Palace) — presided over by the President of Indonesia — is broadcast live nationally and watched by millions, featuring the formal hoisting of the Merah Putih (red and white national flag), a military parade, and patriotic performances. Across the country, communities celebrate with a rich array of traditional competitions (perlombaan 17-an) that are uniquely and joyfully Indonesian.

• ✦The State Independence Day Ceremony at Istana Negara in Jakarta — and since 2022 increasingly at the new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan — is one of Indonesia's most watched broadcasts of the year, with the flag-raising ceremony performed by a specially selected youth honour guard (Paskibraka) trained for months in advance.
• ✦Community Independence Day celebrations across the archipelago feature beloved traditional competitions including panjat pinang (climbing a greased pole hung with prizes), balap karung (sack races), makan kerupuk (eating crackers without hands), and tarik tambang (tug of war) — collectively known as lomba 17-an, they are the grassroots expression of national joy that complement the formal state ceremony.