August Events and Festivals in Malaysia

Welcome to Malaysia and August is the month of the Muslim Celebrations here in Malaysia with quite a number of events and festivals in Malaysia to lookout for.

Among the highlights is the Malaysia Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House which is taking place in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan.

This is the best possible way to experience Eid where the event will give visitors a taste of the Malaysians’ way of celebrating the Hari Raya.

Other exciting festivals include the much talked about George Town Festival, the world-renown Rainforest World Music Festival deep in the jungle of Borneo, the colorful Borneo Cultural Festival in Sibu, Sarawak, and the very unique and special Malaysia International Mask Festival in the middle of Kuala Lumpur.

Merdeka Day or Independence Day of Malaysia is also being celebrated on the 31st of August where visitors are invited to come and enjoy the patriotic performances during the Merdeka Day Parade here at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia Aidilfitri Open House Celebration

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is celebrated by all Muslims throughout the world to mark the end of the month of Ramadan. Also known as Hari Raya Puasa, it inculcates the spirit of sharing, caring and forgiving. During this month-long celebration, Muslims invite their relatives and friends over to their homes to join the merriment. It is known as Hari Raya Open House. The “open house” concept is unique to Malaysian culture and is held during major festivities celebrated by Malaysians. It enhances the spirit of national unity in the country. Experience a colorful festival of culture and performances at this year’s Malaysia Aidilfitri Open House Celebration, which is open to domestic and international tourists alike.

Organizer: Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia

Date: 2 August 2015

Venue: Rembau, Negeri Sembilan

Contact: +603-8000 8000

Website: www.motac.gov.my

George Town Festival 2015

One of Asia’s hottest up-and-coming arts events, Penang’s George Town Festival (GTF) returns this August with an unbeatable lineup of local and international performances, exhibitions and events. 

Three of this year’s highlights will be making their Asian debut, including the Spanish hip hop/flamenco fusion dance theatre Titanium, the Australian-made, highly choreographed musical and dance feature AM I, and the Iranian experimental theatre Slow Sound of Snow.

Berlin’s Rimini Protokoll will make its Southeast Asian premiere with one of the festival’s most anticipated shows, 100% Penang. 

In keeping with its mission to prioritize community initiatives, GTF will introduce two street festivals to this year’s line-up. ATM @ Beach Street, or All Things Malaysian, will celebrate the country’s rich cultural tapestry with a full day of pop-up shops, installations, dancers, live music and more.

The Butterworth Fringe Festival, or BFF, will ferry the festival over to the mainland, giving festival-goers a chance to see and experience a wide range of performances while enjoying a different view of Penang.

Organizer: George Town Festival Secretariat

Date: 1 – 31 August 2015

Venue: George Town, Penang

Contact: +604-261 6308

Website: www.georgetownfestival.com

Rainforest World Music Festival 2015

Entering its 18th year, the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival is a unique festival that brings together on the same stage renowned world musicians from all continents and indigenous musicians from the interiors of Borneo. 

With 22 groups of local and foreign musicians performing at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2015, visitors can expect various genres of world beats ranging from authentic Georgian folk music, traditional Mongolian music, and Basque traditional music to fusion and traditional.

Organizer: Sarawak Tourism Board

Date: 7 – 9 August 2015

Venue: Sarawak Cultural Village, Damai, Sarawak

Contact: +6 082 423600

Email: barbara@sarawaktourism.com

Website: http://rwmf.net/

Start in Tioman 2015 (S.i.T)

S.i.T is a scuba diving program with a difference. It offers skilled and semi-skilled divers not only an opportunity to enjoy Tioman’s glorious underwater world but also help conserve the island’s majestic reefs, adopt a coral, and clean the beach. 

For a minimal fee of RM50, participants can take part in the “Adopt-a-Coral” program which allows them to tag their company or even their own name on the corals.

On their next visit to Tioman Island, they can check on the growth progress of their corals.

Organizer: Pahang Tourism & Culture Office

Date: 20 – 23 August 2015

Venue: Kampung Genting, Tioman Island

Contact: +609-517 1111

Website: www.motac.gov.my

Malaysia International Mask Festival 2015

For the first time ever, Malaysia is hosting a mask festival, which will highlight unique performance arts that use masks as a prop.

Visitors to the festival will be exposed to traditional masks from all over the world during the mask parade. Among the participating countries are Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Brazil, Thailand, China, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia.

Organizer: National Department for Culture and Arts

Date: 14 – 16 August

Venue: Esplanade KLCC Park, Kuala Lumpur

Contact: +603- 2614 8200 / 8283 / 8316

Website: http://www.jkkn.gov.my

Borneo Cultural Festival 2015

The Borneo Cultural Festival showcases the cultural diversity and heritage of the community in Sibu, which is located in the heart of Sarawak.

Immerse yourself in the culture of the Malay, Melanau, Dayak, and Chinese. Enjoy their traditional dances, arts, games, as well as music. This annual festival also welcomes the participation of cultural groups from other countries in Asia. 

This year, there will be performances by the Indonesian Bamboo Community, SWARA-NATYA from India, a traditional percussion quartet and Nanta Performance Team from South Korea, and No Noise Percussion from Peninsular Malaysia.

Organizer: National Department for Culture and Arts

Date: 14 – 16 August

Venue: Esplanade KLCC Park, Kuala Lumpur

Contact: +603- 2614 8200 / 8283 / 8316

Website: http://www.jkkn.gov.my

Tourism Malaysia is running an online contest called #beautifulMalaysia Photo Contest, with weekly prizes to be won over 12 weeks from 15 June to 20 September.

One grand prize and three consolations prizes are up for grabs every week. Grand prizes include a GoPro Hero 4, iPad Air 2, Canon EOS 100D and OPPO Find 5. 

The contest, which is open to participants from all over the world, requires them to submit photos that best encapsulate the beauty of Malaysia in four categories, namely places, festivals, food, and shopping.

Photos can be uploaded on Instagram using the hashtag #beautifulMalaysia or directly on to the contest campaign website (www.tourism.gov.my/beautifulMalaysia).

The winning photos will also be featured on postcards at the end of the campaign. These postcards together with other specially designed postcards bearing the theme Beautiful Malaysia will be placed at selected airports in the country.

The postcards will also be used to further promote 2015 as Malaysia Year of Festivals, or MyFest 2015. Various festivals and events happening in the country will be highlighted on the postcards, which can easily be picked up by tourists visiting Malaysia.

Dekat Je 

Tourism Malaysia has launched a new domestic travel campaign called ‘Dekat Je’ to encourage more Malaysians to travel to nearby places in the country for their next weekend getaway.

The unmistakably-Malaysian use of the colloquial phrase ‘dekat je’, which loosely translates as ‘so close’, aims to remind Malaysians that the next exciting holiday destination is actually just right on their doorstep and that traveling helps foster closer relationships with families and friends. 

Choices for the next local holiday are endless and meet all types of budgets. It can be a simple staycation in the city, a quick getaway to the next town, a gastronomic journey across several states, or living it up in lush rainforest resorts.

The campaign was recently launched by the Chairman of Tourism Malaysia Wee Choo Keong at Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. 

The ‘Dekat Je’ campaign encourages Malaysians to take wefies, and post them on social media platforms with a hashtag of the location to promote their trip, be it against stunning scenery, iconic monument, or while enjoying scrumptious local delights.

Embracing Rasulullah S.A.W. Exhibition

For the first time in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, the Holy Relics of Rasulullah Muhammad (S.A.W.) will be put on display in an exhibition at the Royal Museum Kuala Lumpur from 27 July to 9 August. 

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to personally witness the Sacred Hair of Rasulullah Muhammad (S.A.W.) and other Holy Relics. H.E. Dr. Sheikh Ahmad Al Khazraji, the Prince of Al- Ansar and son of H.E. Sheikh Muhammed Al Khazraji, former Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, United Arab Emirates, has inherited many articles belonging to Rasulullah (S.A.W.). He is a descendant from the Khazraj tribe, one of the prominent tribes in Yathrib (Madinah) during the era of the prophet. 

Without his generous consent, Muslims from this part of the world will never have the opportunity to see the Sacred Hair of Rasulullah Muhammad (S.A.W.). Admission is free. In conjunction with the exhibition, a Global Islamic Conference (GIC), which will bring together world-renowned speakers, scholars, academicians and thinkers to discuss the sublime characteristics and noble personality of Rasulullah Muhammad (S.A.W.), will be held at the Putrajaya Convention Centre Plenary Hall from 1 to 2 August. 

Meanwhile, an International Islamic Fair (IIF), which promotes progressive Islamic lifestyle in Malaysia will be held at the Royal Museum from 6 to 9 August in conjunction with the Embracing Rasulullah S.A.W. Exhibition. 

Organizer: Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia

Date: 27 July – 9 August

Venue: Royal Museum, Kuala Lumpur

Contact: +603-8000 8000

Website: http://whoismuhammad.com.my

Malaysia Independence Day 2015 Celebration

On 31 August, come witness the Merdeka Day Parade at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, in celebration of Malaysia’s Independence Day.

Known locally as Hari Kemerdekaan, it is the time when Malaysians show their appreciation for yet another year of harmony among the people and are reminded of their country’s struggle for independence. 

This year’s Merdeka celebration is themed ‘#sehatisejiwa’, reflecting the spirit of solidarity, understanding, togetherness, and humanity of all people in the country. Among the events leading up to the day of the parade include a marathon, carnival, and concert.

Organizer: Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia

Date: 31 August

Venue: Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur

Contact: +603-8911 5206

Website: http://www.kkmm.gov.my

Don’t forget there are many smaller-scale events and festivals happening all over Malaysia which are not listed here and it is recommended that if you need more detailed information, you can visit the Tourism Malaysia offices in each individual state or visit http://www.tourism.gov.my/. 

This year is also Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015 therefore special attention has been paid to the activities around the country, here and also over in Sabah and Sarawak.

Have a great month and hope you enjoy the fascinating Events and Festivals in Malaysia for August.