THE Paya Terubong Fringe Festival, slated for this Saturday (Sept 5) at Padang Pasar Malam in Bandar Baru Air Itam, is expected to draw visitors to an open-air stage featuring music and outdoor performances.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai unveiled the upcoming festival as a post-programme of the George Town Festival 2026, bringing arts directly into spaces where people live, gather, and spend their everyday lives, so they can experience live performances in a familiar setting.
In a press conference held earlier in Komtar today, Wong revealed the event, which enters its second consecutive year this year, is expected to garner more participation than last year due to a noticeable trend of interest in arts among the local and tourist communities in Penang.
“We have been seeing encouraging responses from people from afar and near, especially in the recently held George Town Festival.
“Likewise, for this upcoming Paya Terubong Fringe Festival, we expect a positive turnout, and hopefully visitors will have a splendid time with many activities lined up for them,” Wong said in his speech.
Happening from 6pm to 11pm and free for all, the evening will feature a diverse line-up of exciting activities, celebrating rhythm, movement and collective energy.
Some of the upcoming events include the ‘Gema Jentayu Tradisi’ by Wak Long Music, a Fire and Flame performance by Kosipinn Fire, as well as a percussion experience titled Rhythm in Motion by KANDORA.
In a related development, Wong explained that the festival’s name had been changed from GTF at Paya Terubong to the Paya Terubong Fringe Festival.
He said the previous name ‘sounded very awkward’, while the new name reflects the festival’s potential to grow into something bigger in the future.
The term “Fringe” was chosen to represent the festival as a smaller-scale event that could potentially develop into a larger platform for arts and culture.
Wong reiterated that there had previously been no festival of this nature in Paya Terubong, with the initiative aimed at bringing arts and culture closer to the local community.
Also present earlier were George Town World Heritage Incorporated’s TLM Event chief executive officer Jack Wong, GTWHI department of communications and collaboration manager Vick Quah, festival manager Connie Chan, and many more.
Story by Ammar Mikhail Aamer
Pix by Muhammad Iqbal Hamdan