FESTIVALSRainforest
FESTIVALSRainforest WorldMusic festival is ahigh energy eventSARAWAK – home tocountless festivalsThere’s a whole range of festivals in Sarawakthroughout the year. Here are just a few…PESTA BABULANG(BUFFALO RACE FESTIVAL)Dates: 5 – 7 June 2020NEW! - RAINFORESTIN THE CITYDates: 30 June – 9 July 2020RAINFOREST WORLDMUSIC FESTIVAL 2020Dates: 10 – 12 July 2020Steeped in tradition, this culturalfestival - the biggest in Limbang(northern Sarawak), includes thequintessential buffalo race. Anotherhighlight is the “Ratu Babulang”or “Babulang Queen” contest,which sees young Bisaya ladies intraditional costumes display in theirmost mesmerising mannerismsin a bid to win the title crown.Pesta Babulang also showcasestraditional Bisaya costumes, cultureperformances, exotic native foodand other unique activities. (Bisayais one of indigenous people innorth-west and coast line of Borneo,mostly living in Limbang and Lawasdistrict)Rainforest in the City aims to enhancethe buzz, highlighting the on-goingcampaign of Visit Sarawak Year 2020by spotlighting events at The HeroesMonument Park in the Kuching citycentre - 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 andtechnologies to experience in the city bynight over 10 days. This festival consistsof 3 main components, namely lightexhibition, audio visual performancesand food experiences. Combinations ofall these three elements will be the mainfeature of this year’s event and hopefullythe years to come.The Rainforest World MusicFestival (often abbreviated as RWMF)is an annual three-day music festivalcelebrating the diversity of world music,held in Kuching, with daytime musicworkshops, cultural displays, craftdisplays, food stalls, and main-stageevening concerts.The festival features a wide range ofperformances from traditional music, toworld fusion and contemporary worldmusic.For its 23rd edition, the Rainforest WorldMusic Festival this year will be featuring 8stages, 9 mini session venues throughoutthe Sarawak Cultural Village. 45 bandswill deliver over 70 performancesincluding 33 mini sessions.18 SMART GUIDE www.sarawaktourism.com
FESTIVALSRWMF FRINGE FESTIVALDates: 3 – 15 July 2020The RWMF Fringe is an annual festivalof visual, performing and lifestyle artsfrom Borneo and around the world tocomplement the iconic Rainforest WorldMusic Festival. It also aims to bring the bestof the mainstream contemporary, traditionalas well as engaging experimental works tolocal and also visiting audiences.Expect to see genres such as Theatre,Photography, Indigenous Film, Marketplace,Cuisine, Spoken Word, Arts & Crafts, Fashionand more at the RWMF Fringe. All RWMFFringe events are staged at exciting venueswithin 2-kilometres of Kuching city centreas The Rainforest World Music Festival isheld at the Sarawak Cultural Village & DamaiCentral on the coastal enclave of Santubong,37 kilometres from the city.Most RWMF Fringe events are staged free ofcharge on a “first come first served” basis.BORNEO CULTURALFESTIVAL – SIBUDates: 16 – 25 July 2020Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF) isa week-long celebration of food,music and dances that celebratethe unique yet diverse culturalbackground such as Indigenouspeople (Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu,Malay/Melanau and Chinese). Thefestival highlights the richness ofculture and heritage in Borneo tothe world, including its multiracialbeliefs and practices with holdingthe main object by promoting“Beauty in Ethnic Diversity”.BCF is Sibu’s biggest tourismevent, it is also a perfect time tomingle all the locals from walksof life by participating in fringeevents such as trade shows, funfair and stage shows.SARAWAKINTERNATIONALDRAGON BOATFESTIVALDates: 23 – 25 October 2020The Sarawak InternationalDragon Boat Regatta is aninternationally-recognisedevent, where local and foreignteams compete in various racecategories to win cash moneyand trophies. This challengeis an affiliate event of theInternational Dragon BoatFederation (IDBF).www.sarawaktourism.comSMART GUIDE 19
