Penang Miaohui (槟城庙会) is Penang’s major Chinese New Year “temple fair” held around George Town’s UNESCO World Heritage streets, where clan halls, guilds, and cultural groups open their doors for public open houses, performances, exhibitions, and hands-on heritage activities. It typically spreads across about 12 heritage streets and features cultural showcases plus large food and interactive booth areas, highlighting Penang’s Chinese heritage in a multicultural, community-focused way.
The 17th annual George Town Heritage Celebrations—themed “Doors and Doorways”—ran from 5–7 July 2025, inviting visitors to step into Penang’s hidden past. The event featured immersive storytelling, artisan workshops (from pottery to traditional snacks), heritage-themed performances, and behind-the-scenes access to eight historic Category 1 heritage buildings. Designed to celebrate George Town’s living traditions, the celebration focuses on cultural connections, community engagement, and heritage education. The event is located at the areas around Armenian Street this year.
The annual fire-watching festival was held at the Penang Snake Temple during the 6th lunar day of the Chinese New Year this year (which was 14 February 2024). There were also various cultural performances held alongside the fire-watching ceremony, including a traditional puppet show, lion dance and fireworks.
Legend has it that the temple, dedicated to the deity Chor Soo Kong, was inhabited by venomous pit vipers centuries ago. According to folklore, these serpents, believed to be guardians of the temple, emerged from the nearby jungle and took refuge within its walls.
Lion dance performance during the Chinese New Year celebration at George Town. Lion dance in Penang was found to have started during the 1930s, whereby it was a tradition brought over by immigrants from southern China back then. Hence, the common lion dance here is the southern lion dance style. Usually performed during Chinese New Year or any major Chinese event, the lion dance is believed to bring luck and fortune.
A large wall art mural painted on the wall of the Shell petrol station located along Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (or the Jelutong Expressway). This vibrant and colorful art work showcases the various iconic, cultural, and traditional items in Malaysia.
This year’s Heritage Day celebration and festival are being held from 7th to 9th July at the heart of the heritage zone in George Town, such as the areas around Armenian Street, Kampung Kolam and Ah Quee Street. The theme for this year’s festival is “Walk the Talk: Oral Traditions and Expressions”, which showcases the local communities’ culture and language/dialect such as Indian Muslim, Teochew, Malayalam and Telugu. There will be cultural shows, interactive activities and performances along with history-guided trails on the origins of the heritage streets in George Town.
The 3 days festival starts in the evening till the nights.
Rahime Bouaziz, director of Alliance Française de Penang and the artist himself, Elan Hasyim.
On 26 September, The Alliance Française de Penang in George Town unveiled its 20 meter art mural called Paris/Penang which features major landmarks (such as the Eiffel Tower, Penang Hill, etc) in Paris and Penang that were then linked together via the Penang Bridge. The art work was created by local artist Elan Hasyim and it was painted in a way to portray the relations between the two cities.
This large mural can be found on the wall of the building of The Alliance Française de Penang, which is located at Jalan Phuah Hin Leong, George Town. The Alliance Française de Penang is a unique association and a language center in Penang that aims to promote both French language and culture all around the world.
Note: Special thanks to Marine of Alliance Française de Penang for the event’s invitation.
The Penang Heritage Celebrations for this year will be held from 4th to 7th July in George Town city. It is an annual event celebrated to mark the anniversary of the city’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The event this year will start off with a food festival in several streets within George Town.
Rows of hanging red lanterns covering up the compound of the Kuan Yin temple in George Town as part of the Chinese New Year celebration.
Today marks the beginning of the new Chinese lunar year, also the ‘Year of the Goat’.
A lions ‘eye-dotting’ ritual and ceremony organized by Penang Wushu Lion & Dragon Dance Association. Most lions found in Penang are of the Southern Lions design and style.
“A new lion usually undergoes an eye-dotting ritual which gives the lion its ‘spirit’, because it must be brought to life and filled with a spirit through a religious ceremony. This is most of the times by a Taoist ceremony but it can be performed by any person with a high social status. The areas to be dotted with red pigment called “Zhu Sha” are the eye, ears ,nose, horn, feet, and the body; usually only the eyes are done in a public ceremony. The light in its eyes resembles that the lion’s eyes have been opened with a spirit and the shield reflects the good light from the heavens, although other explanations can be given for the mirror.”
