KLPac awaits the return of the arts-loving masses this weekend with the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival 2023. Photo: The Star/Izzrafiq Alias
Kuala Lumpur might not have a major international arts festival like the George Town Festival in Penang on its calendar. But the capital city can still create quite a buzz with a series of community-based events that celebrate the best of local arts, culture and heritage during the Merdeka and Malaysia Day period.
Here are three arts festivals happening across Kuala Lumpur in the coming weeks. Take your pick (and get a raincoat, or umbrella ready):
YAYASAN SIME DARBY FESTIVAL
Venue: KLPac
Date: Aug 19 and 20
Missed the noisy drum circles, open park spaces and pop-up theatre? They are all coming back real soon!
This weekend, the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) is readying up a big welcome for the arts-loving public once again with the return of the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF), an event that has been put on hold for nearly five years (including the pandemic period).
With more than 350 arts events planned, there is bound to be a long checklist of fun activities for the entire family, with the KLPac main building and outdoor areas set to come to life.
The festival is free admission and the line-up of performing arts, theatre, music, dance, workshops, puppetry, film screenings and more look set to give visitors a sampling of contemporary arts and culture in the Klang Valley and beyond.
A crowd of nearly 10,000 is expected at KLPac on each day this weekend, and festivalgoers are advised to use public transportation.
The YSDAF organisers have arranged a shuttle service to get the masses to the festival area.
A view of the outdoor grand finale concert at the Peszta festival in Kampung Attap in Kuala Lumpur last year. Photo: Peszta
PESZTA
Venue: various locations in Kampung Attap, Kuala Lumpur
Date: Aug 26
Need an arty and youthful day out? Peszta is a nicely curated event for new generation culture vultures and also those who refuse to grow old in spirit.
It a day-long contemporary arts festival taking place on Aug 26 across multiple venues in the surrounding areas of Kampung Attap, Kuala Lumpur.
The festival (free admission) aims to put Kampung Attap on the map as a young, energetic art and culture district next to the upcoming Merdeka 118 precinct.
After its debut last year, Peszta is back with another bumper edition to coincide with the 66th Merdeka celebrations, featuring open studios, workshops, exhibitions, music, arts market and more.
A wider scope of arts programming awaits visitors, including a street concert featuring Zee Avi, Alena Murang, Carburetor Dung, Manis Manis and others.
The final line-up of venues (all within the vicinity of Kampung Attap and walking distance from Petaling Street) includes: The Zhongshan Building (arts hub), Sam Mansion (apartment/shoplots), triptyk (restaurant), Pentago House (architecture firm), The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (event space and Chinese cultural centre), Heart Residence (artists co-living space), and the newly-established Pusat Kesenian DBKL.
An art projection on a building along Old Klang Road seen during last year's Klang River Festival. Photo: Klang River Festival
KLANG RIVER FESTIVAL
Venue: various locations along the Klang River, Kuala Lumpur
Date: Sept 8-24
The Klang River Festival, an independent event, was put together last year by a team of arts activists to create a platform to map out the artistry, heritage, community and the rich biodiversity of the Klang River.
This unique festival, which offers deeper conversations and community engagement, returns next month with a diverse programme featuring contemporary art, social and cultural events.
The Klang River Festival will also feature several locations, including KongsiKL and Dasien Academy of Art, to host its activities.
The aim is to also invite the masses to discover (or rediscover) neighbourhoods and urban areas along the Klang River. "Tanah Air" is the theme of this year's festival, which encapsulates the essence of homeland and motherland, while emphasising the significance of both land and water in our lives.
