23rd edition of Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival happening 15 to 26 Sept
KUCHING, 17 September 2026: The annual Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival (KIMF) returns to Carpenter Street, and is happening from September 15 to 26, 2026 from 5PM onwards, bringing together over 100 stalls and vendors of all races and backgrounds for more than just a Mid-Autumn celebration, but a multi-cultural gathering of food and merrymaking.
From mooncakes and unique desserts to traditional biscuits and roasted meats, the 23rd KIMF offers a diverse range of culinary options for all, in addition to lively cultural performances, bright lanterns and cute decorations and toys. The star of the festival, though, is undoubtedly the many, many mooncakes on sale, including traditional baked mooncake, snow skin mooncake and uniquely flavoured options like kek lapis mooncake, yogurt mooncake and Dubai chocolate mooncake.
The 23rd edition of the festival was officiated by the Deputy Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Snowdan Lawan on September 15, who represented the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Organised by the Kuching Old Market Community Association and features the Kuching Hainan Association, Kwong Wai Siew Association Kuching, Malaysia Hakka Cultural Association (Sarawak Branch), Sarawak Kwang Tung Association, Kuching Chiang Chuan Association, Padawan Foochow Association Kuching, Sarawak Lui Chiu Association and Hing Ann Association Kuching, the 2026 KIMF is the embodiment of the city’s intercultural spirit, with Chinese, Malay, Dayak and Indian traders operating alongside young entrepreneurs at one of Kuching’s historic streets.
“After 23 years of KIMF, this event reflects Sarawak’s ability to turn its cultural diversity into a source of unity instead of division. An intercultural festival means creating a space where cultures meet, where people interact, where we become curious about one another, and where, through that interaction, we learn to understand and appreciate one another,” said Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim, in a speech read by Datuk Snowdan Lawan.
In his speech, Dato Sri Abdul Karim also highlighted the importance of young traders and entrepreneurs during events such as KIMF, adding that they should be given opportunities to create, interpret and innovate while learning from previous generations.
“We (the organisers) are particularly encouraged by the stronger participation of young traders and entrepreneurs this year, as KIMF provides them with an accessible platform that will help showcase their creativity, food and ideas to a wider audience. More than that, their participation will also help ensure KIMF evolves with the times, and remain relevant for future generations,” stated KIMF Organising Chairman and Chairman of Kuching Old Market Community Association, Kapitan Lim Chuan Chan during a previous press conference.
“After 23 years, KIMF has reached that stage where it is no longer merely an annual event, but a part of Kuching’s heritage and identity. The Sarawak government will continue to support initiatives that strengthen our cultural diversity, promote our creative industries and create meaningful experiences for both locals and tourists,” concluded Dato Sri Abdul Karim.
23rd Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival
5PM – 10PM
Carpenter Street, Kuching
