culture & tradition · Malaysia
George Town Festival
The short answer
Arts festival in the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site with theatre, music, dance, exhibitions and street events. The 2026 edition was the 17th and had the theme Beyond Boundaries.
Where
George Town, Penang
Country
Malaysia
When
annual since 2010, usually July or August; dates set by the organiser
Last held
2026-08-01 to 2026-08-09
Next edition
Not announced yet
Organiser
George Town Festival, under George Town World Heritage Incorporated (Penang state)
Good to know
The 2026 edition had more than 40 events, of which seven were ticketed; most events are free. Some exhibitions ran beyond the main nine days, until early October 2026. It should not be confused with the George Town Literary Festival, a separate event organised by the Penang Institute (27 to 29 November 2026). Dates for 2027 had not been announced when checked. The organiser attribution to George Town World Heritage Incorporated is based on the official calendar being published on its website.
Kungfucius says: A month of arts in streets that are already a museum. Kungfucius eats char kway teow between shows.
Official website ↗