KOTA SAMARAHAN: The fifth edition of the Samarahan Food and Cultural Festival (SFCF) 2026 got off to a lively start on Friday night (June 26), drawing crowds to the MPKS Tamu Market site in Desa Ilmu despite a brief evening drizzle.
Running until July 5, the 10-day festival promises a vibrant mix of food, culture and entertainment, featuring an array of local delicacies, viral food trends, cultural showcases and community activities.
This year’s festival is expected to attract some 350,000 visitors and generate RM500,000 in sales, underscoring its growing role as one of Samarahan’s major tourism and economic events.
Festival organizing chairman Associate Professor Dr Sopian Bujang described the opening night as a casual teaser for what is to come over the next week.
“Tonight is just a teaser, the opening night. So tonight, we are just taking it easy and spending time together with our chairman without any formalities,” he said in his speech.
Among the highlights of the first night were the preliminary screenings for the Ratu Cilik Kebaya competition, which attracted 19 contestants, and the Ratu Kebaya Nyonya competition, featuring seven participants.
The winners of both pageants will be announced during the festival’s finale on July 4.
Festival-goers were also entertained by local artiste Allesandro, whose performance added to the festive atmosphere as families and friends gathered around the stage area.
As night fell, the aroma of grilled dishes, traditional snacks and trendy street food filled the air, with many visitors taking the opportunity to sample offerings from the numerous booths lining the festival grounds.
Also present at the opening night were Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) chairman Abang Ismawi Abang Ali, Samarahan District Office representative Hayati Sahari, MPKS deputy chairman Daily Joseph and MPKS secretary Gustian Durani.
The festival is expected to attract more visitors over the coming days with a packed programme of activities and performances celebrating Samarahan’s culinary and cultural diversity.
