Lawas to host inaugural International Dragon Boat and Cultural Festival this May 22–25
File photo of a dragon boat race during the Sarawak Regatta last year in Kuching. – Photo by Chimon Upon
MIRI (May 15): Lawas town will host its inaugural International Dragon Boat and Cultural Festival from May 22 to 25, an event anticipated to attract large crowds of both locals and tourists.
Organising chairman Liaw Cheng Heng announced that the festival will be a multifaceted cultural celebration featuring dragon boat races, traditional folk dance performances by 25 ethnic groups, and a vibrant food fair.
The highlight of the four-day programme will be the exciting dragon boat competition featuring 28 teams from Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and the Federal Territory of Labuan, said Liaw.
'This festival brings together cultural expression, sport, and food festivals in one major event,' he said in the statement.
Organised by the Lawas Chinese Cultural Welfare and Expedition Association, the event will also include stage performances by both local and foreign artistes, as well as exhibitions and sales of local food, handicrafts, and daily essentials by small-scale entrepreneurs and hawkers.
Liaw emphasised that the festival aims to promote tourism and the preservation of cultural heritage, while also fostering unity and cooperation through traditional sporting events such as dragon boat racing.
'The event will significantly benefit the local economy by creating platforms for entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products and services from across the region and beyond,' he added.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan is expected to officiate the festival's opening ceremony.
The event is also supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts, as well as various government agencies and local authorities in Lawas. Cultural Festival International Dragon Boat Lawas lead
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