KUCHING, SARAWAK, Aug 20: Kuching is set to come alive this October as WAK Festival 2026 returns with its biggest and most diverse programme yet, bringing a month-long celebration of arts, culture and lifestyle to the city.
The eighth edition of the festival will take place from Oct 1 to 31, featuring 83 unique events and 440 daily event occurrences across 62 venues throughout Kuching.
The festival, themed “SHOOTS”, was officially unveiled during the WAK Festival 2026 Calendar Reveal held at The Spring Kuching today.
The 2026 programme involves 49 collaborators and covers 14 genres, including arts, music, culture, comedy, theatre, food, film, sports, wellness and lifestyle.
The theme “SHOOTS” follows last year’s “ROOTS”, which focused on Sarawak’s heritage and creative foundations. This year, the theme represents the next stage of growth, highlighting fresh ideas, emerging talents, new collaborations and the continued development of Kuching’s creative community.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said WAK Festival had developed into an important platform for the state’s creative sector while also contributing to the tourism industry.
He said the festival had grown significantly since its beginning in 2017 and had become an event shaped by the community for the community.
“For 31 days, from 1 to 31 October, Kuching will once again come alive as a city of arts, culture and lifestyle, very much by the community, for the community,” he said.
Abdul Karim also highlighted the expansion of WAK Festival beyond Kuching, with WAK Sibu and WAK Miri helping to connect creative communities across southern, central and northern Sarawak.
He described the development as a growing creative movement involving three cities and one shared spirit.
The minister said the festival could also help strengthen Kuching’s tourism economy by giving visitors another reason to come to the city during October, which is traditionally considered a quieter period in the tourism calendar.
He said visitors would not only attend festival events but would also stay in hotels, eat at restaurants and coffee shops, use transportation services and visit local attractions.
This, he added, would allow the economic benefits of the festival to reach businesses and communities across the city.
WAK Festival has grown from an initiative launched in 2017 into a wider creative platform involving artists, performers, event organisers, venues, businesses, volunteers and audiences.
The festival directors said its development had always depended on collective participation rather than one organisation or group.
For WAK 2026, the festival is supported by 62 partners, including festival partners, staging and technical partners, marketing and media partners, hotel partners and venue partners. Media partner Sarawak Daily will support the month-long programme by providing exclusive coverage and real-time information to the public throughout the festival.
The 62 venues will be transformed into stages, galleries, gathering spaces and locations for visitors to discover different aspects of Kuching’s creative scene throughout October.
The festival will also welcome international names that have been part of its journey, including Canon and The Japan Foundation. New collaborators such as Frontrow Asia and Friends of Sarawak Museum will also join the growing festival community.
Organisers said public interest had also been encouraging, particularly through the WAKA Volunteer Registration, showing that many people wanted to take an active role in the festival rather than simply attend its events.
The “SHOOTS” theme also reflects WAK Festival’s focus on nurturing new and emerging talent.
The festival continues to provide opportunities for musicians, artists, comedians, performers, designers, producers, storytellers and young organisers to experiment, collaborate and introduce new ideas.
With the 2026 calendar released well ahead of October, organisers are encouraging both local audiences and visitors from outside Kuching to plan their festival experience early.
The early announcement also allows visitors from other parts of Sarawak and Malaysia to arrange their travel and accommodation around the month-long programme.
Abdul Karim called on corporations, businesses and brands to support WAK Festival through sponsorships and partnerships. He also encouraged artists, cultural practitioners, entrepreneurs and event organisers to continue developing new ideas and collaborations.
Members of the public and visitors were urged to support the festival by attending its events and supporting the creative talents involved.
With eight editions now completed, WAK Festival continues to establish itself as an important part of Kuching’s annual cultural calendar.
From Oct 1 to 31, the city will host a wide range of activities across multiple locations, offering residents and visitors opportunities to experience arts, culture, entertainment, food, sports and lifestyle activities in different parts of Kuching.
With 83 unique events, 440 daily event occurrences, 49 collaborators, 62 venues and 14 genres spread across 31 days, WAK Festival 2026 is expected to bring renewed activity to Kuching throughout October.
The WAK Festival 2026 programme is now available for audiences to explore and plan their October around.
WAK Festival 2026 will be held from Oct 1 to 31 in Kuching, Sarawak, under the theme “SHOOTS”, with the guiding philosophy “By the Community, For the Community”.
