SMARTguide Sarawak

FESTIVALS
Rainforest World
Music festival is a
high energy event
SARAWAK – home to
countless festivals
There’s a whole range of festivals in Sarawak
throughout the year. Here are just a few…
PESTA BABULANG
(BUFFALO RACE FESTIVAL)
Dates: 5 – 7 June 2020
NEW! - RAINFOREST
IN THE CITY
Dates: 30 June – 9 July 2020
RAINFOREST WORLD
MUSIC FESTIVAL 2020
Dates: 10 – 12 July 2020
Steeped in tradition, this cultural
festival - the biggest in Limbang
(northern Sarawak), includes the
quintessential buffalo race. Another
highlight is the “Ratu Babulang”
or “Babulang Queen” contest,
which sees young Bisaya ladies in
traditional costumes display in their
most mesmerising mannerisms
in a bid to win the title crown.
Pesta Babulang also showcases
traditional Bisaya costumes, culture
performances, exotic native food
and other unique activities. (Bisaya
is one of indigenous people in
north-west and coast line of Borneo,
mostly living in Limbang and Lawas
district)
Rainforest in the City aims to enhance
the buzz, highlighting the on-going
campaign of Visit Sarawak Year 2020
by spotlighting events at The Heroes
Monument Park in the Kuching city
centre - for tourists and festival-goers.
Its intention is to expose the Culture,
Adventure, Nature and the Food &
Festivals that Sarawak has to offer in
“snippets” with modern audio, lights and
technologies to experience in the city by
night over 10 days. This festival consists
of 3 main components, namely light
exhibition, audio visual performances
and food experiences. Combinations of
all these three elements will be the main
feature of this year’s event and hopefully
the years to come.
The Rainforest World Music
Festival (often abbreviated as RWMF)
is an annual three-day music festival
celebrating the diversity of world music,
held in Kuching, with daytime music
workshops, cultural displays, craft
displays, food stalls, and main-stage
evening concerts.
The festival features a wide range of
performances from traditional music, to
world fusion and contemporary world
music.
For its 23rd edition, the Rainforest World
Music Festival this year will be featuring 8
stages, 9 mini session venues throughout
the Sarawak Cultural Village. 45 bands
will deliver over 70 performances
including 33 mini sessions.
18 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com