Butterworth Fringe Festival draws 30,000 with local and international cultural acts

BUTTERWORTH: The Butterworth Fringe Festival (BFF), which is an art festival centered on creativity, culture and community, attracted about 30,000 visitors to Padang Permuda Merdeka at Bagan Luar here.

“This event serves as an avenue for local and international performances and celebrates everything extraordinary about the arts,” Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) senior Datuk Azhar Arshad said.

“We also hope to make Butterworth a hub for creative and innovative cultural events. The BFF platform serves as a unifying space for the community to embrace heritage, art and culture, transcending ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“The BFF also aligns with the Butterworth Baharu Regeneration Programme, which was launched in 2015 and focuses on revitalizing Seberang Perai through arts, culture and heritage activities to make it a livable and vibrant city.

“This initiative is also an enabler of the Local Economic Development (LED), particularly benefiting the residents of Seberang Perai while also contributing to Penang’s overall development.”

This year marked the event’s 7th edition, which was organized by the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP), endorsed by the Penang state government, supported by Penang Global Tourism and managed by TLM Event.

This year’s BFF presented international cultural acts through The Street Art Festival concept. The program on Dec 16 and 17 involved local and international performances with free admission for all.

Among the activities was the Busker Stage where performers such as Alessandra Azzaro from Italy performed the hula hoops to dance hits from the 90s, Moises Ugidos Cedeno from Spain performed his street show in classic Arabic style, Cube Yi from Taiwan entertained the crowd with his juggling performance, and Yoltic Atzin Lopex from Mexico who used his body to communicate emotions and tell stories.

“Yoltic and I are part of the TravieCircus Duo, and we are very glad to have the opportunity to perform the Hoop BoomBoom and Nopalito Clown for our audience here at BFF,” said Azzaro. “We feel very glad to be part of one of the most recognized art festivals in Malaysia and the world.

“As a circus artist journeying through many different urban spaces and environments, I engage in dialogue with many people. Through my performance, I hope to convey the potential of the human body and spirit, and by doing so, inspire people to embody the ability to overcome personal boundaries during challenging times. Taiwan is as multicultural as Malaysia and I look forward to meeting many more friends here,” said Yi.

The “Rhythm and Spoken Words” program at BFF featured five writers presenting their original and newly written works centered on the mythical figure of the dragon during “Readings@Tanjong: The Dragon Awakens.”

Miriam Devaprasanara, the producer and founder of Dabble Dabble Jer Collective, said: “We drew inspiration from the upcoming Year of the Dragon, a significant event, and our rich local folklore. Dragons are rooted in various places like Kota Kinabalu, Tasik Chini, Langkawi and even here in Penang.

“Our writers delved into extensive research, exploring themes of local folklore, family ties, cultural legacy, and traditional craftsmanship. Our writers were Anna Tan, Diyaa Mani, Yee Heng Yeh, JY Tan and Wan Phing Lim.”

Between readings, festival attendees were serenaded with Sounds of Bamboo , a serene flute performance by Ayaman, also known as the “child of nature” because he combines the elements of balance, harmony and nature in his music.

The GerakGaya program showcased yet another series of captivating performances such as “Nada: Pulse” by Aida, Kausalyaa, and their talented team of dancers, guiding the audience through a journey into the soul and spirit of women across different eras.

Besides that, Ivan Choo, as the curator, orchestrated the “Exquisite Batik Runway” fashion show, while Tai Chun Wai mesmerized the crowd with the WaaiwaiiDrum in “The Pots and Pans, Lepak and Main.”

“We have 12 models donning designer batik wear crafted by designers such as Naimbutek x AlifAbdHalim, Kenny Loh, Maliana Ann, Tri Siswanto Maulana, Ranndy Goh, The Craftereria by Hassan Abu Bakar & Justin Tan, Koay Ji Tong and Zahidah Noor Ghazalli,” said Choo, who is also the founder of Velvet Productions.

At “Api-Api,” the fire performers stunned the audience by combining dance and acrobatics, skilfully wielding blazing hula-hoops and showcasing fire-breathing techniques.

“Wave at Bagan” provided an immersive fusion of historical resonance and oceanic atmosphere. The alley came alive under the spell of Filamen’s captivating light installation. As visitors neared the display, they found themselves enveloped by billowing semi-transparent cloths swaying gently in the breeze. Shakir, the producer, said: “We are trying to authentically recreate the ethereal essence of the sea, accentuating the connection between Butterworth and the ocean.”

BFF also featured Kapten Buehbossa, a professional bubbleologist and visual artist from Seremban, who showed how art and science converge.

Renowned within the bubble world for his Duoprism soap bubble sculptures and the giant bubbles he blows, Kapten Buehbossa has been performing his soap bubble art since 2010 internationally in many countries across the globe.

Visitors to BFF were also able to meet famous caricaturist Azmi Hussin, visit the photography exhibition on “Crossing the Straits” by Oh Chin Eng, participate in hands-on workshops and old-school games, attend the creative market and satisfy their appetite at the RM2 Food Carnival.