The 2025/2026 edition of Pesta Pulau Pinang will be the last to take place at the Tapak Pesta Pulau Pinang before the festival undergoes a six-year hiatus. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow confirmed the pause is necessary to accommodate the construction of the Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) line and a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) by MRT Corp at the location.
Chow stated, “Last year, I announced that the 58th edition could be the final one before the event was postponed to allow for the construction of the Mutiara LRT line and TOD by MRT Corp. However, based on the latest developments, MRT Corp will only take over the site in April 2026, allowing the festival to proceed with its 59th edition.” He made these remarks at the opening ceremony of Pesta Pulau Pinang 2025/2026 at Tapak Pesta Pulau Pinang. The event was officiated by Yang Dipertua Negeri of Penang, Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, who attended with his wife, Toh Puan Raja Noora Ashikin Raja Abdullah.
Chow highlighted that, as the 59th edition represents the final festival before the planned six-year break, the inaugural Pesta Fun Walk was organised on 29 November to reflect the community’s continuous support. He recounted that the festival began in 1966 as a sales carnival at Padang Kota Lama and Lebuh Macallum before evolving into a prominent annual event, regularly hosted at Tapak Pesta Sungai Nibong since 1974.
He further noted, “The nostalgia of this 59-year journey is immortalised through our collaboration with the State Public Library Corporation in the Tradisi Merentasi Generasi exhibition at Galeri Legasi Mutiara, which showcases historical materials, including ticket collections dating back to 1978.”
The 8.14-hectare festival ground is equipped with various facilities including stalls, parking, a surau, toilets, mini-parks, and automated teller machines. It also features pavilions representing North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Aceh, and Thailand, symbolising diplomatic ties.
This final edition will run for 36 days, from 6 December 2025 to 10 January 2026, with participation from small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs, state agencies, the Penang Prime Minister’s Department Implementation Coordination Unit, the Penang Regional Development Authority, and the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation.
Chow also announced, “In view of the growing number of foreign tourists, non-citizens will be charged RM10 for entry this year, while tickets for Malaysians remain at RM5, with free admission for children under 12 and persons with disabilities.”
