Holidays and event celebrated in January - March | Penang's festival

Thaipusam

Thaipusam is one of the most dramatic Hindu festivals celebrated in Penang. Thaipusam eve day starts the festivities. The silver chariot carries the image of the Lord Subramaniam from the Chettiar Temple in Penang Street to the Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple at Waterfall Road. This procession starts at dawn and ends at sundown. During the process the crowds smash coconuts and make offerings of incense, fruits, flowers, and money as the chariot stops at every Hindu shrine along the way.

On Thaipusam day, there are processions of kawadi bearers. To prepare for the more painful infliction, devotees are induce into a trance at the starting point. Throughout the morning, many kavadi-bearers start out at the Sivan temple at Dato Keramat Road. This is a good place to watch participants undergoing an ablution of saffron water, being put into the trance, and body piercing. The devotees, their supporters, and general festival attendants proceed down Jalan Utama to the Waterfall Temple, where offerings are made to Lord Subramaniam and the body spears are removed.

Hari Raya Haji & Berkorban

Muslims mark the end of annual pilgrimage to Mecca with this day of celebration. The annual pilgrimage is required to be performed by Muslims at least once in their lifetime, in accordance with Islam's fifth tenet. There are special early morning prayers and sermons at mosque throughout the country. Cattle and sheep are sacrificed, and the meat is distributed to the poor and needy.

Sang Cho Kong

Celebrated by the Chinese community on the 24th day of the twelfth moon. The Kitchen God keeps track of domestic happenings and flies off to heaven at the end of every lunar year to report on the family. To keep his lips sealed, an offering of sweets is made just before he embarks on his celestial journey so that he’ll report only good and sweet things about the family.

Chinese New Year's Eve

The eve of the Lunar New Year is traditionally a time for Chinese family members to get together over a sumptuous reunion dinner. The steamboat is a favourite for reunion dinners, with everyone sitting around in a cosy circle, cooking their portions of food in a bubbling hot pot. This is also a good opportunity to swap stories and gossip among themselves. All accounts for the old year have to be settled before the end of the last work day, and no debts are to be collected during the first 15 days of the New Year.

Chinese New Year *

The first day of the first moon in the Chinese lunar calendar. For the next fifteen days, it is time to make the rounds, visiting relatives and friends to wish them Gong Xi Fai Cai or Keong Hee Huat Chye. Children receive Ang Pow (hongbao) from married adults. Lion and dragon dance troupes and acrobats are called to homes, institutions, and temples to bless the new year with prosperity.

Unless you are Chinese or very close friends with a Chinese family, Chinese New Year will seem like any other day, except that traffic to Batu Feringghi will be backed up, prices will double all over town, and restaurants will be closed or fully booked. A good time for expatriate families to get out of town.

Birthday of Chor Soo Kong

Chor Soo Kong is the deity of the Snake Temple in Sungai Kluang, is celebrated on the 6th day of the first moon. Chinese opera is performed in front of the temple afternoon and night.

People's Day

"Everyone's" birthday is a Chinese festival on the 7th day of the first moon. To celebrate, the Chinese community will feast on a traditional dish of "seven vegetables".

Awal Muharam

Awal Muharam is the start of the Muslim calendar. This day coincides with Prophet Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, the first Muharam. Muslims celebrate the new year by attending religious talks and Koran reading performances.

Birthday of Jade Emperor

To honour Yu Huang, the Supreme Ruler of Heaven, offerings are made to him at temples. The celebration actually starts on the Eve of Jade Emperor’s Birthday on the 9th day of the first moon. All night long, crowds throng the Thnee Kong Thnua at the foot of Penang Hill next to the Lower Station to pay homage.

Chnea Hoay

This is a flame watching ceremony held at the Tua Peh Kong Temple, Tanjong Tokong. On 11.00pm this day, the temple lights are switched off and joss embers are fanned to a flame. This divination ceremony is organized by the members of the Poh Hock Seah (Precious Luck Association) to forecast the economy of Penang for the coming year.

Birthday of Tua Pek Kong

A Chinese celebration on the 15th day of the first moon. At the Tanjong Tokong temple, devotees offer incense in honour of the Tua Pek Kong, God of Prosperity. Chinese opera will be staged in afternoons and evenings during this season. Once every twelve years, the God of Prosperity walks the streets of George Town.

Chap Goh Meh

A festival celebrated on the first full moon of the Chinese New Year. Young Chinese girls come to Esplanade to throw mandarin oranges into the sea and wish for a good husband.

Dondang Sayang groups go round the town serenading the Chap Goh Meh crowds, singing their pantuns from beautifully decorated buses. The singers pit their wits and voices against each other in a duel of love songs. They are usually accompanied by musicians on the violin, accordion, and skin drums.

The festivals listed marked with a ' * ' are state or national holidays. Government offices and banks will be closed.

More celebrative events, public holidays and festival in Penang | Visit Malaysia