Melaka Festivals

Festivals add lasting impressions to a stay in a foreign country. The multi-racial, multi-religious Melaka is packed with colourful festivals all year. Most of the festivals are based on the lunar calendar so dates according to the Roman calendar vary from year to year. Here's the schedule for the most captivating festivals, with their approximate dates in the Roman calendar.

Chinese New Year (January/February) This is a joyous time when friends and relatives give each other "angpows" - red packets with a gift of cash as a token of prosperity and celebrate with feasts and lion dances to ward off evil spirits and usher in the lunar new year. Family reunion dinners are a must among Chinese on the eve of the new year.

Birthday of Teenh Koong Celebrated by the Fukien clan on the eve of the ninth day of the first lunar month in honour of the Deity of Heaven (the Jade Emperor). At the main door of a Chinese family house is a raised altar with offerings of thanksgiving for the God's many blessings - the main feature is a bundle of sugar cane complete with roots, stems and leaves.

Chap Go Mei Falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, ends the 15 days of the Chinese New Year. Single Chinese ladies celebrate this by tossing oranges into the sea to "wish" for Mr Right.

Thaipusam (Early February) Is the day Hindus pay homage to Lord Muruga. Devotees converge at the temple of Sri Subramaniam Devasthanan in Batu Berendam to fulfil their vows of gratitude and to cleanse themselves of sins by carrying semi-circular wooden arches with skewers which they pierce through their skins. The devotees who subject themselves to this gruelling act of faith are under a trance. Thaipusam is normally celebrated with a parade of the devotees, their families and friends, along the streets in the evening. The procession can sometimes continue through the night.

Melaka Tourism Week (Second Week of March) Its a week-long celebration with food festivals at major hotels - a gourmet's delight. Various competitions are held for hotel staff.

Ching Ming (4 April) Also known as Chinese "All Souls' Day". Families go to the cemeteries to tidy the burial plots of relatives. Offering food, the lighting up of candles and joss sticks and the burning of joss paper are carried out at the tombs. The Chinese cemeteries are at Bukit China (Hill of the Chinese), and in the outskirts of the city where the Jelutong Chinese Cemetery is located about 10 km (7 miles) away.

Palm Sunday (March / April) Is celebrated at the St. Peter's Church. Christians carry palms in a church procession in the grounds led by bearers of a life-sized statue of Jesus Christ carrying the Cross. The procession normally takes place in the early evening.

Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday (March/April) An evening mass where the story of Christ washing the feet of the 12 apostles is performed by the church priest and 12 boys. The boys' feet are washed with wine and then wiped before being kissed.

Good Friday (March/April) Celebrated at St. Peter's Church. In the evening, tall candles about the height of an adult are borne and church bearers carry the statue of Jesus Christ in a procession within the ground. The holy rosary is recited and hymns sung. It is a moving scene of a thousand candle lights.

Easter Sunday Celebrated at St. Peter's with a grand mass and choral singing.

Nuzul Quran (Around mid-April) Celebrated by Muslims with religious gatherings to commemorate the 17th day of Ramadan - the Muslim fasting month - when the holy verses of the Koran were revealed to Prophet Mohammad in Mecca. Muslims gather in the mosques to pray.

Gendang Nusantara Festival (April 16) This cultural festival offers the opportunity to witness a rare feat - the rhythms of 500 drummers performing together, as well as the graceful dances of the Malay Archipelago.

Hari Raya Puasa (End April / May) Falls on the first day of the 10th month of the Muslim calendar (Hijrah), the month of Shawal. It is a joyous occasion for Muslims after fulfilling a month of fasting (Ramadan). After attending prayers at the mosque, the Muslims visit their elders, relatives and friends.

Vesak Day (Between May and June) Buddhists celebrate the birth, death and enlightenment of Lord Buddha. This is the most important event in the Buddhist calendar.

Sant Sohan Singh's Prayer Anniversary (Last week in May) Celebrated by the Sikh community. Sikhs from Malaysia and neighbouring countries congregate at the Melaka Sikh Temple in Jalan Temenggong for a memorial service in honour of the prominent Sikh preacher, Sant Baba Sohan Singh. The three-day event includes the recitation of the Sikh holy book, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and singing of religious hymns. Meals are provided free at the temple grounds.

The Birthday of His Highness the Yang di Pertuan Agong (King) (6 June - National Holiday) Is celebrated with parades and festivity. The parade starts in the morning from the Warrior's Field.

Feast of St. John the Baptist (23 June) Catholics light rows of candles in front of their houses - most evident in the residential areas in the Portuguese Settlement, Banda Hilir and Tranquerah Pantei I.

Festa de San Pedro (29 June) The fishermen, mostly of Portuguese decent, honour their patron-saint, St. Peter, a tradition kept alive for 500 years. The festival relives the glories of old Portugal where gaily-dressed fishing-fleets participate in the Blessing of the Fleet or Gensey Barco, traditionally held off Lisbon. In Melaka, the week-long festival includes a competition for the best-decorated boat, the best langgiang fisherman and also a contest for the best cook of traditional dishes. The festivities end with a Mass and boat-blessing by the parish priest.

Awal Muharram (Around the third week of July) Is celebrated on the first day of the first month of Muharram in the Islamic calendar to commemorate the journey of Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Medina. Muslims hold religious discussions and lectures.

Hari Raya Aidil Fitri (around mid-July) is celebrated by Muslims after the month-long Ramadan (fasting month). Muslims usher in the new year with prayers in the mosques followed by receiving well-wishers in their homes.  Declaration of Malacca Historic City

National Day (31 August) The country celebrates it's independence on 31 August with parades and shows. Towns and cities throughout Malaysia will be gaily decorated and adorned with lights for the grand occasion.

Theemithi (Around mid-August) This is an awe-inspiring fire-walking ceremony performed at the Sri Subramaniam Temple in Jalan Gajah Berang at about mid-day. Devotees in a trance run across a pit of red-hot ambers without scalding their soles.

The Birthday of His Excellency the Governor of Malacca (15 August - State Holiday) It is celebrated with a colourful parade of uniformed personnel at the Padang Pahlawan (Warrior's Field). State flags and buntings decorate government buildings and private business premises.

The Malacca Carnival (August) It is a month-long celebration during which an industrial exhibition, tourism exposition, traditional cultural performances and shows by local artists at the Ayer Keroh Expo Centre are held.

The Melaka Sea Carnival It is also held on National Day at the Klebang Besar Beach. This colourful festival includes competitions for windsurfing and boating for local and international teams.

Feast of Santa Cruz (11 September) Celebrated at the Chapel of Santa Cruz in Malim. The feast of the Holy Cross starts at the foot of the hill at 7am, slowly ascending the hill to depict the 13 stops of the cross, followed by High Mass in the chapel. Thousands of Christians from Malaysia and Singapore make the pilgrimage to Malim.

Malaysia Fest (September) For two weeks, all the major hotels and shopping complexes join forces to feature the culture, cuisine and handicrafts of the various states in Malaysia.

Mooncake Festival (Between mid-September and mid-October) Celebrated by the Chinese on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month to commemorate the overthrowing of tyrannical Mongol overlords in ancient China. The rebels passed each other secret messages hidden inside round cakes which later came to be known as mooncakes.

Shopping Carnival (October) Bargains galore at shopping establishments in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang during this annual two- week shopping extravaganza.

Deepavali (October/November) The "Festival of Lights" is a celebration which marks the triumph of good over evil. During this festival, Hindu homes are emblazoned with lights to symbolize this triumph.

The Feast of St. Francis Xavier (Sunday nearest to 3 December)

It is held at the Church of St. Paul's with several high masses in honour of St. Francis Xavier's death on 3 December 1552 on the island of Sanchian in China.

Christmas (25 December) Celebrated by Christians similar to any other part of the world. Midnight services are held at churches on Christmas eve. Shopping centres, hotels, old folks homes and children's homes echo with beautiful carols. The revelry and yuletide spirit of Christmas is enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike.

Public Holidays

Jan 01 - New Year's Day

Jan 08 & 09 - Hari Raya Puasa

Feb 05 & 06 - Chinese New Year

Feb 01 - Federal Territory Day (Kuala Lumpur and Labuan only)

Mar 16 - Hari Raya Haji

Apr 06 - Awal Muharram

May 01 - Workers' Day

May 18 - Wesak Day

Jun 03 - Birthday of Sri Paduka Baginda Yang di Pertuan Agong

Jul 15 - Birthday of Prophet Muhammad SAW

Aug 31 - National Day

Oct 28 - Deepavali (except in Sarawak and Labuan)

Dec 25 - Christmas

Dec 27 & 28 - Hari Raya Puasa