The Kuala Lumpur Festival (KL Fest), a month-long cultural initiative aimed at revitalising the capital’s city centre through creative programming, was officially launched on March 13, 2026.
The festival, which will run from May 6 to 31, is organised by Think City and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), with support from the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Territories Department under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Think City Managing Director Datuk Hamdan Abdul Majeed, in his officiating speech, said cities must be cultivated through active public spaces, cultural vibrancy and strong communities.
“Cities are not only built – they are cultivated. The true health of a city is measured not only in its skyline, but in the life of its streets, the strength of its communities and the confidence people have in its future,” he said.
He said KL Fest was designed to bring sustained activity back into Downtown Kuala Lumpur through weeks of cultural programming and public engagement.
“Festivals are not just cultural celebrations. They are economic anchors that sustain activity in city centres. They bring people together, animate public spaces and create reasons for people to return to the heart of the city,” he said.
Hamdan said the inaugural edition in 2024 drew more than 140,000 visitors and supported over 800 jobs for creative practitioners.
He added that KL Fest is part of a broader regeneration effort aligned with Visit Malaysia 2026, Warisan KL and Kuala Lumpur’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Design.
With an allocation of RM3 million, the festival will feature more than 80 multidisciplinary events across over 26 heritage buildings, public spaces and streets.
The programmes will deliver more than 700 hours of activities and aim to attract over 100,000 visitors. The festival is expected to extend footfall beyond traditional business hours and stimulate spending across food and beverage outlets, retail, transport services and surrounding commercial establishments.
This year’s theme, “Memory & Tomorrow,” reflects Kuala Lumpur’s evolution as a city shaped by heritage, migration and continuous transformation.
Among the flagship programmes are Jogeton at Dataran Merdeka, ASWARA Artskap at ASWARA, Irama Pusaka at Auditorium Bandaraya, and public art installations through the KL Architecture Festival Competition.
The festival will also feature theatre, dance and performance works staged at venues including Sekolah Seni Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Chan She Shu Yuen Ancestral Hall, GMBB, Rumah Tangsi, ASWARA and The Godown Arts Centre.
Most programmes will be offered free to the public to encourage wider participation while supporting the city’s creative community.
Further details are available at www.klfestival.com.my./LOCCO
