Coffee lovers can look forward to three days of brews, competitions and workshops as the Penang Coffee Festival 2026 takes place from 14 to 16 August at Sunshine Central in Air Itam.
The festival features specialty coffee tastings, interactive workshops, product showcases and regional competitions, including the Malaysia AeroPress Championship (Northern Region). MBPP councillor Koay Gaik Kee said the event aims to bring together coffee professionals, roasters, café operators and enthusiasts under one roof.
Koay told Buletin Mutiara, the Penang state government’s official portal, that the festival would celebrate Penang’s thriving coffee scene and help strengthen the local coffee industry by creating opportunities for industry players to connect and exchange ideas.
Penang Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Law Choo Kiang, who was also present at the press conference at Dewan Sri Pinang, said Penang has the potential to establish itself as a destination for international coffee enthusiasts. He noted the state’s diverse café scene, coupled with relatively reasonable prices, could make Penang an attractive stop for coffee lovers from around the world.
Also launched during the press conference was the CoffeeCity Journal, a publication conceived by Koay to document and preserve the stories behind Penang’s evolving coffee culture. The festival comes as Penang’s coffee culture gains momentum. Separately, Penang Hyperlocal reported that the Penang State Government inscribed “Kopitiam Culture” on the state’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in January, affirming the cultural significance of the state’s coffee traditions. Malaysia also ranks among the leading countries in coffee consumption growth in the Asia-Pacific region, second only to South Korea and Australia.
“Every great idea begins with a simple conversation,” Koay said, adding that the journal was “much more than a souvenir” and aimed to preserve stories from green bean suppliers, roasters, café operators and industry partners.
