Ready to explore: Visitors taking photos at Armenian Park with banners for the George Town Heritage Celebration 2024 happening this Sunday. — K.T.GOH/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: July is shaping up to be an exciting month in Penang with a slew of arts, culture and heritage events lined up.
Several major ones will kick off tomorrow, which is also Heritage Day – a state public holiday commemorating the city’s Unesco World Heritage inscription in 2008.
Stop by Fort Cornwallis between 9am and noon for ‘A Day at the Fort’ to learn about recently unearthed artefacts and restoration works, or let children try their hand at being a young archaeologist.
The event organised by Think City is also an open call for people to share interesting personal stories pertaining to the fort, with details at www.facebook.com/mythinkcity.
The George Town Heritage Celebrations (GTHC) 2024 taking place from 5.30pm to 10pm at various venues around Armenian Street and Acheh Street promise to be an immersive experience.
Event producer Ng Boon Nee said there will be 16 workshops and six dance stations highlighting the art forms, traditions and crafts of the city’s diverse communities.
This includes chingay and lion dance, Teochew opera, wayang kulit, nyonya beading, henna art, batik, saree and veshti draping, kimono doll making, bamboo lantern making, spice grinding, traditional Malay music, boria, Loy Krathong, dhol and bhangra, dikir barat, Telugu biddalu dance and Japanese dance.
Ng said visitors can even take home souvenirs from activities like ‘Build Your Own Tiles!’ where they can design wooden coasters resembling the floor tiles of George Town’s pre-war shophouses.
“Try to carpool or use ehailing as we expect heavy traffic. Water dispensers will be available, so bring your own bottles to stay hydrated,” she urged.
The event, now in its 16th edition, is organised by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI), with details at www.facebook.com/GeorgeTownCelebrations.
Across town at Jalan Pintal Tali, the ancestral temple Meng Eng Soo will have its Open Day 2024 from 5pm to 10pm, with two main stages featuring folk dances, music and martial arts.
There will also be some 80 stalls highlighting all manner of traditional crafts and local delicacies, with details at www.facebook.com/MengEngSoo.
“These celebrations will give local and international visitors alike a better understanding of the cultural value of George Town,” state tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said.
Elsewhere, the Penang Craft Festival 2024 is ongoing at the Seberang Perai Arena Convention Centre from 10am to 10pm daily until July 14.
Browse through various products from local entrepreneurs and agencies, enjoy the farmer’s market and food trucks parade, or check out the Kebaya Queen contest and craft demonstrations.
The Penang Hill Festival 2024’s fifth edition on July 19 to 21 brings a myriad of fun-filled yet educational programmes under the theme ‘See The Nature, Feel The History’.
Look forward to refreshing nature walks, bird-watching sessions, photo exhibitions, insightful talks, as well as the signature ‘Music on the Hill: East Meets West’ concert.
“The festival aims to enrich heritage and biodiversity education while fostering deeper appreciation for the cultural and ecological significance of Penang Hill.
“And it is also family-friendly, with inclusive programmes for visitors of all ages,” said Penang Hill Corporation general manager Datuk Cheok Lay Leng, with details at www.penanghill.gov.my/phf2024.
The George Town Festival also returns for its 15th iteration from July 19-28 with the theme ‘Here and Now’ and more than 80 programmes in store.
These encompass theatre, dance, visual arts, film, workshops, family fun and street events, highlighting the interconnectedness of past, present and future (www.georgetownfestival.com).
A Bon Odori pop-up festival takes place on July 20 and 21 at 1st Avenue Mall, with a preliminary round of the Miss Penang Bon Odori 2024 pageant and a Japanese market.
This culminates with the eagerly-anticipated Bon Odori on July 27 at the Esplanade, starting at 5pm with cultural performances and other fun activities, before culminating with fireworks at 11pm.
