This festival is driven by the local Sarawakian community as part of an initiative to celebrate their arts, culture and lifestyle.
With the approval of and collaboration with the Sarawak government, the festival will be featuring a total of 315 daily events, making this third edition of WAK the largest one yet.
Since its beginnings in 2017, WAK 2019 has seen Sarawakians from all walks of life joining hands in a show of cohesiveness and as patriots of Sarawak.
This year, WAK will be introducing new genres and a wider overall repertoire due to its increased participation.
WAK will also see the activation of the Location X-traordinaire, the building that was the former Ting & Ting Supermarket.
According to festival director, Donald Tan, the previous and new owners of the building are supportive about the usage of the premises as an artspace.
“It will be a venue for a variety of events, including the WAK Music Portal, and new components such as the WAK Big Jam and WAK Open Mic,” he said.
WAK’s programme will be an exciting hybrid of ideas and expressions, with collaborators coming in from outside Kuching.
Comedy shows will be all the rage throughout October, with appearances by Joanne Kam, Bibi K Poh, Kavin Jay, the Malaysia Association of Chinese Comedians (MACC) and I Laugh KL as well as local jesters SaraLawak.
Theatrical shows, both traditional and modern, will be hitting the streets of the capital as well.
An assortment of personalities will also be heading over to the festival, including life coaches Angela Eimer, Asha Gill and Alice Chieng, author Gina Yap Lai Yoong, poet Jamal Raslan and artiste Alena Murang and her band.
In addition, the 6th Borneo International Beads Conference will be drawing in bead experts and lovers while the Sarawkiana Carnival 2019 will be showing off the local culture of woodcarving.
Rose Iwanage & The Young Once and Hurricane with Lepo Lee will be hitting the stage at WAK Forever Young as part of a tribute performance.
For those with an active lifestyle, sign up for events that will have you racing for the finishing line, like the Spartan Race Sarawak 2019, Borneo Highlands Padawan Nature Challenge, Sarawak Adventure Challenge and Tringgus Wild Trail.
According to Donald Tan, WAK 2019 is meant to be for everyone and not just particular individuals.
“We have already noticed that more young people are stepping up to manage events or components, which is a very positive sign because these youth leaders are the next generation.”
“They will be the ones taking this festival forward.”
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