The 2026 Kuching Festival Fair attracted more than one million visitors over its 26-day run, although attendance was slightly lower than the record set last year.
Kuching South Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said a total of 1,011,067 people attended this year’s fair, compared with 1,044,417 visitors recorded in 2025.
Speaking during his Facebook Live session, ‘Shall WEE Talk’, on Saturday, Wee said daily attendance peaked at 76,225 visitors, while the lowest turnout was 14,648.
He attributed the lower daily attendance on certain days to extreme weather and hazy conditions, which affected the number of people visiting the event.
The fair, held from July 22 to Aug 16, featured about 400 food and retail booths offering a wide range of creative delicacies.
Wee said visitors had praised the variety of food available, particularly the increased selection of halal and Dayak cuisine.
However, he noted that some duplication remained among the food offerings, with four different stalls selling oyster pancakes despite MBKS’ efforts to encourage greater variety.
He said the stalls offered different versions, including the Teochew-style oyster pancake, but the council would work towards reducing similar offerings next year.
“We will try to eliminate redundancy by ensuring that all 400 food stalls sell different food items next year,” he said.
In an unexpected highlight, one stall operator received a creativity award for selling plain rice.
Wee said the idea initially surprised him, but later understood the seller’s reasoning that some visitors might need plain rice to accompany other dishes.
Addressing questions over how attendance figures were calculated, Wee said MBKS personnel were stationed at every entrance to count visitors.
The counting process began at around 4pm or 5pm, with the final attendance figure calculated using a set formula.
Meanwhile, Wee acknowledged that MBKS had identified several successful stall applicants who allegedly sublet their booths to others in an attempt to make quick profits.
He stressed that successful applicants were prohibited from subletting their stalls and were required to sell the type of food stated in their original applications.
“If we allow sublet to happen, the booth fee will be manipulated,” he said, noting that MBKS charged RM650 for each booth.
He also said the council had received information that one successful applicant allegedly sublet a booth for as much as RM10,000.
Wee said MBKS was monitoring the matter and that individuals found to have violated the rules had been blacklisted.
He added that council personnel conducted inspections at the fairgrounds and maintained records of stall operators’ attendance and activities.
Those who were absent during inspections could be required to provide an explanation to the council.
Wee stressed that MBKS wanted to ensure the fair remained fair to all participants and was not exploited for financial gain.
Celebrating its 40th year, the Kuching Festival Fair has become an annual event closely associated with Kuching and Sarawak, while also providing a valuable platform for local entrepreneurs.
Wee said some participants had started small at the festival before eventually opening eateries and expanding their businesses, particularly among the younger generation.
The council hopes the fair will continue to serve as a launchpad for local entrepreneurship while offering visitors a diverse experience each year.
