KUCHING: The Borneo Tuak Festival (BTF) 2026 opened today at 11 Ridgeway here, bringing together 108 vendors and around 40 tuak brands in what organisers say is now the largest tuak festival in Malaysia, with more than 15,000 visitors expected over the three-day event.
The festival was officially launched by Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, who said the event reflected how the state’s cultural heritage could become a pillar of its creative economy.
“Tuak is more than a traditional drink. It is part of the identity, history and living heritage of many communities in Sarawak,” he said in his speech.
Snowdan said brewers had travelled from across Sarawak and beyond to take part, citing Morrison Amy Daisy of Bintulu, whose tuak is handcrafted by his mother and aunt, and Raffly Langi, a Kuala Lumpur-based Sarawakian who returned home to showcase his tuak business.
He said the festival gave rural producers a dependable annual platform rather than a one-off opportunity, and expressed hope it would continue to grow into a permanent yearly fixture for the state.
The festival is organised by SAGO Group Sdn Bhd as the flagship event under the Borneo Rice & Gastronomy Festival (BRGF), an initiative of the BIMP-EAGA Sarawak Association (BESA) supported by the state tourism ministry.
SAGO Group’s Managing Director, Ehon Chan, said the festival, now in its third edition since it began in 2023, had grown from a simple idea into what he described as a platform built by an entire community.
He acknowledged the support of Deputy Minister for Tourism Sarawak, Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew, who serves as the festival’s adviser.
Programme highlights include the Tuak Selection of the Year 2026, a Tuak Cocktail Competition, the Borneo Tuak Drinking Competition, panel discussions on rice biodiversity and fermentation, and cultural performances including traditional sape music and Iban pantun recitals.
The Borneo Tuak Festival 2026 runs until Sunday, July 19, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm daily at 11 Ridgeway, Kuching, opposite the UNIFOR Complex. Admission is free.
