IPOH: Ipoh will be transformed into a sprawling cultural stage when the inaugural Ipoh Festival 2026 takes place across the city from Nov 27 to Dec 19, featuring performances, art exhibitions, traditional crafts and community activities.
Held under the theme ‘Turning the City into a Stage’, the four-week festival will turn cafés, galleries, heritage buildings and public spaces into venues for cultural and artistic experiences.
Rather than concentrating activities at a single venue, the festival will encourage visitors to explore different parts of the city, with particular emphasis on revitalising Ipoh Old Town.
Among the highlights are musical theatre performances at selected cafés, outdoor film screenings at Ipoh Padang, traditional craft showcases at Tin Alley and exhibitions featuring local artists.
The Artisan Rhythm Market at Jalan Bandar Timah will also bring together artisans and local businesses, while the Wayang & Makan di Padang programme, organised with Greenery Market, will offer visitors an outdoor cinema experience.
The festival will also feature the Food and Arts Crawl by Ipoh Mali Theatre Society, which combines musical theatre performances with visits to selected venues, and a separate music crawl organised by Indiescape.
At 22 Hale Street Heritage Gallery, a Festival Information Centre will serve as a starting point for visitors to discover Ipoh’s history, food and cultural heritage.
The visual arts programme includes Rootbound: Origin and Boundless Expression, presented by Senitra Studio Gallery, and Yellow, a contemporary exhibition inspired by Ipoh and Perak, presented by The Ipoh Fine Arts Class and Perak Contemporary Artists.
Other activities include workshops, music and dance performances, documentary screenings and cultural showcases involving local organisations and creative groups.
The festival’s programme, spread across four weekends, will also feature performances by local musicians and cultural groups, including the Perak Society of Performing Arts, Perak Wind Orchestra and Choir, Kinta Valley Wind Orchestra and Kumpulan Selendang Perak.
Organisers said the festival was conceived as a collaborative initiative to bring together local artists, cultural organisations and businesses, providing them with a common platform to showcase their talents and contributions.
It is also intended to strengthen Ipoh’s identity by connecting the city’s heritage with its contemporary creative scene, while giving younger residents an opportunity to rediscover the stories behind familiar places.
The inaugural edition is designed as the first step towards establishing a signature annual event for Ipoh, drawing inspiration from established city festivals such as George Town Festival in Penang and Urbanscapes in Kuala Lumpur.
Organisers hope the event will attract more visitors to participating businesses and encourage both residents and tourists to spend more time exploring the city.
Ipoh Festival 2026 is supported by the Ipoh City Council and Tourism Perak, with sponsorship from 22 Hale Street Heritage Gallery and Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad.
Admission to the festival programmes is free, except for a small number of activities requiring prior registration.
For programme details and updates, the public can follow @ipohfestival on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.- Bernama
