Kuching to celebrate 21st anniversary as city

KUCHING: Kuching City is gearing up to celebrate its 21st anniversary as a city in August with the annual Kuching Festival and Fair 2009.

Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will officiate at the fair on Aug 2.

Taib will be accompanied by the Mayor of Kuching City South (MBKS) James Chan, local dignitaries and invited guests.

Chan can’t wait for the people to see what they have in store this year.

“There’s a change in the manner we do the festival,” he said during a press conference at MBKS’ Council Chambers yesterday.

“We have a new stage this year. The rationale is to separate those who are there to watch the entertainment and those going to the food fair.”

A wide variety of entertainment and games will be sponsored by Astro that night at the open air stage by the man made lake behind Dewan Masyarakat.

It will feature winners of the popular Classic Golden Melody 2009, Lee Si Wei and Classic Golden Melody 2008, Fang Ai Ling; Rizal and Candy from Akademi Fantasia, Iban recording artiste Felicia Gek and more.

“Anyone who is here for the entertainment can sit at the man-made lake. It’s a relaxing and cooling environment. Those who want to eat can go to the fair,” added Chan.

The food fair will feature many stalls, about 80 per cent of which are Chinese while the rest sell other local and international cuisine.

There will be a Chinese Homecook Delicacy Corner where stallholders have three days to sell traditional cuisine: Hainanese (Jul 31 - Aug 2), Chawan (Aug 3 - 6), Hin Ann (Aug 7-9), Teochew (Aug 10-12), Hakka (Aug 13-16), Hokkien (Aug 17-20) and Foochow (Aug 21-23).

“This is our way of promoting the community spirit,” Chan said.

Visitors can also go to the Kuching Festival Trade Fair comprising 44 stalls in the air-conditioned Dewan Masyarakat and 113 outdoor stalls.

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