PENANG Wesak Celebration 2026 will feature 23 floats themed “Bridging through digital, cultivating wisdom together”.
Organising committee chairman Datuk Dr Loh Hock Hun said the annual month-long celebration would include various events, activities and charitable causes before and after the main celebration on May 31.
“The main event is the Wesak Day procession, but there are also ongoing and upcoming events.
“There is the Wesak eve ceremony, Wesak night dinner, handing out of gifts and red packets to charitable organisations, dhamma talks and dana to sangha (alms to monks).”
Loh said there would be floats from various Buddhist temples and organisation.
“Our 4.5m-high float from Malaysian Buddhist Association will be decorated with thousands of flowers and LED lights.
“Every year, we use fresh flowers to decorate the float and this year, there will be a professional team doing it.
“We will have a prayer ritual by monks and a lighting up ceremony on Wesak eve.
“This will be followed by the lighting of lotus candles by major donors and a ribbon- cutting ceremony to kickstart the festivities.
“We will also give out certificates to participating floats.”
Loh said the Wesak eve and Wesak Day celebrations this year would be held at Penang Lee Sih Chong Soo (Lee Kongsi) on Jalan Burma instead of the usual venue at the association nearby.
He said it was because the association’s three-storey headquarters had been demolished to meet future needs.
“Until the new 15-storey building is completed, we will have to hold the yearly Wesak eve ceremony and Wesak Day procession at Penang Lee Sih Chong Soo,” he added.
Those who wish to donate flowers to decorate the main float can do so on May 28 (1pm to 9pm), May 29 (9am to 9pm) and May 30 (9am to 6pm) at Penang Lee Sih Chong Soo.
The Wesak Day procession will begin at 6pm on May 31 at the Penang Lee Sih Chong Soo and follow a 7km route through Jalan Kelawai, Lorong Burma, Lebuhraya Peel, Jalan Macalister, Jalan Perak, Jalan Anson and Lorong Madras before returning to its starting point.
