PENANG’S iconic Pesta Pulau Pinang, the country’s oldest and longest-running public funfair, will not be discontinued but placed on a six-year hiatus from next year to accommodate construction linked to the Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) system.
The festival grounds at Sungai Nibong, which have hosted the event annually since 1974, sit directly within the planned route and facilities of the new LRT line.
The 29.5-kilometre system will connect the newly reclaimed Silicon Island to Komtar in George Town, then link Weld Quay to Penang Sentral in Butterworth across the channel near the Penang Bridge.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced at the 59th edition of Pesta that the pause is necessary to allow the LRT depot and related infrastructure to be built.
He suggested the fair could return “perhaps on a bigger scale” once works are complete.
MRT Corp Bhd, the line’s developer and eventual operator, is preparing both the LRT and a transit-oriented development at the site.
“Last year, I announced that the 58th edition could be the final one before the event was postponed to allow for the construction by MRT Corp.
“However, based on the latest developments, MRT Corp will only take over the site in April 2026, allowing the festival to proceed with its 59th edition,” Chow said.
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, officiated at the opening of this year’s edition with full ceremonial splendour, accompanied by Toh Puan Raja Noora Ashikin Raja Abdullah.
First staged in 1966 as a sales carnival at Padang Kota Lama and Lebuh Macallum, Pesta evolved into a major annual attraction and has been held consistently at Sungai Nibong for half a century.
It has become a central fixture of the northern region’s school-holiday calendar and increasingly draws visitors from neighbouring countries, with exhibitors from Indonesia and southern Thailand.
This year’s Pesta includes the Euro Fun Ride, featuring a range of amusement attractions, and a special exhibition curated with the Penang Public Library Corporation, showcasing archival materials such as ticket collections dating back to 1978.
The 8.14-hectare grounds are equipped with extensive facilities, including food stalls, parking, prayer rooms, rest areas, mini parks and automated teller machines.
They also host pavilions representing North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Aceh and Thailand, underscoring the fair’s longstanding regional ties.
The current edition runs for 36 days, from 6 December 2025 to 10 January 2026, offering products from small and medium-sized enterprises, displays by state bodies and participation from the Penang Prime Minister’s Department Implementation Coordination Unit, the Penang Regional Development Authority and the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation.
Entertainment spans multiple generations of artistes, including Kristal, Datuk Hattan, Zamani, XPDC, Datuk Awie, Ella, UK’s, Sensionist Band and MP Band, alongside talk shows and appearances by Inteam, U.N.I.C and Ustaz Don.
Additional attractions include a feline festival, silat demonstrations, boxing, muay thai, kabaddi, e-sports, choral speaking and showcases by various security agencies. - December 12, 2025
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