By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 4: The WAK Festival 2025, themed “Roots”, officially kicked off today, transforming Kuching into a month-long celebration of arts, culture and lifestyle from Oct 1 to 31.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, in a speech delivered by Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah at the launch at Pangkalan Sapi, said WAK has become a dynamic platform that reflects Sarawak’s creative identity and collaborative spirit.
“The WAK Festival is no ordinary event. It is a platform that lives and breathes with the energy, passion and talent of Sarawakians.
“It is a movement that gives voice to our artists, musicians, performers, cultural custodians and lifestyle champions,” he said.
Abang Johari added that the Sarawak government will continue to support events that strengthen Sarawak’s creative economy, noting that WAK exemplifies how public-private collaboration can fuel both tourism and cultural development.
“When you invest in WAK, you are investing directly in the ‘Sarawak Brand’.
“You are helping to enhance our digital marketing reach to international audiences, forging partnerships that improve connectivity, and directly contributing to a festival that creates unique, compelling reasons for tourists to choose Sarawak,” he said.
Now in its seventh edition, WAK 2025 marks a new chapter for the homegrown festival as it officially carries the identity “We Are Kindred”, moving away from its original name, What About Kuching.
This follows the successful expansion of its counterparts WAK Sibu and WAK Miri, both of which held their second editions earlier this year.
This year’s line-up features over 100 events across more than 40 venues, including art exhibitions, theatre performances, workshops, music gigs and culinary adventures. Highlights include the “Celebrating Us” cultural showcase at Pangkalan Sapi, WAK X Texhouse Artspace, Food Adventure Trail 2.0, and the whimsical Stinky Toe Trail public art installation.
WAK 2025 runs until Oct 31, with full schedules available at wakfestival.com and updates on @wakfestival social media platforms. – DayakDaily
