Arts and culture don’t just exist in the Peninsular. This festival proves just that.
Kuching city transforms into a vibrant hub, extending Sarawak’s tourist season with a month-long celebration of arts, culture and lifestyle. This journey began with the vision and passion of Donald and Marina, who rallied Kuching’s communities to unite under one banner: What About Kuching Festival – Celebrate Arts, Culture & Lifestyle, or simply WAK. The festival’s name was born from a serendipitous mishearing that sparked the question, “What about Kuching?” Seven years on, that question has grown into a powerful, community-driven movement that invites everyone to showcase their creative spirit every October. WAK thrives on collaboration. Its success is made possible through the unwavering support of the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, city, municipal and district councils, related agencies, the private sector and an ever-growing community of creatives.
This October, Kuching comes alive with WAK Festival 2026, a month long celebration of Arts, Culture & Lifestyle, transforming the city into a vibrant playground of creativity, discovery and shared experiences.
Now in its 8th edition, WAK has grown into a dynamic platform bringing together Sarawak’s creative community, businesses, venues, cultural organisations and collaborators from near and far. At its heart is We Are Kindred, different people, passions and creative expressions united through the spirit of Kuching.
Across 31 days, discover 83 unique events, 440 daily event experiences, 49 event and festival collaborators and 14 genres at venues throughout the city.
Expect music, art, theatre, comedy, culture, heritage, food, lifestyle, workshops, markets and more, from intimate encounters to large scale celebrations, with something for everyone.
Experience Kuching differently as WAK unfolds across heritage spaces, museums, cafés, hotels, galleries, performance venues and unexpected corners of the city.
Readers can find out more about their work and 2026 calendar programme here.
