Over 5,000 expected to join 2023 Kuching City Christmas Parade

KUCHING (Nov 30): More than 5,000 Christians are expected to participate in one of Kuching’s largest and most colourful street events of the year – the 2023 Kuching City Christmas Parade – come Saturday (Dec 2), starting 6pm.

The main organisers of the 2023 Kuching Christmas Parade are Association of Churches Sarawak (ACS) and Sarawak Evangelical Christian Association (Seca).

The Methodist Church SCAC is the host church for this year’s parade.

The participating churches are Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Methodist Church SCAC, Methodist Church SIAC, BEM (SIB) Church, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, The Salvation Army, Sarawak Baptist Church, Sarawak Blessed Church, member churches of Seca including City Harvest Church, Hope Church Kuching, Gereja Grace Sentral AG, GIS Gospel Harvest Church and Christ Baptist Church, ACS said.

“All parade participants are advised to assemble at MBKS Jubilee Ground (adjacent to Chung Hua Primary School No.3) at 6pm,” ACS said in a statement.

The programme of this year’s Christmas parade is as follows: Assembly at MBKS Jubilee Ground at 6pm, praise and worship session (6.30pm), commencement of the parade (7pm) and gift distribution to members of the public (8.15pm).

Participants are expected to be back at the MBKS Jubilee Ground at 9.30pm.

“The aim of the Christmas parade is to spread the true meaning of Christmas which will bring blessing, harmony and goodwill to the people of Kuching,” ACS added.

The theme of this year’s Christmas parade is ‘A Heart-warming Christmas/‘Kehangatan Natal di Hatiku’.

ACS also said all parade participants are encouraged to prepare Christmas gifts, which will be distributed to the public at 8.15pm during the parade.

Elder Ambrose Linang, who is ACS secretary general, via the statement called on all Kuching City residents to celebrate Christmas together in peace and harmony.

“Let the spirit of goodwill reclaim centre stage among all races of different beliefs and cultures. Let us not allow racial polarisation and religious extremism to destroy the fabric of our society,” he said.

He encouraged everyone to remember that Kuching has always been a great city to live in, a city full of harmony and a city full of colourful events and people.

“Kuching is a city of unity. We have so many reasons to be proud of Kuching,” he said.

“Let this parade be a melting pot of different faiths, culture languages, ethnicities and diversity as this diversity is the strength of Sarawak where its people all live in peace and harmony,” he added.

ACS Bintulu, ACS Miri and ACS Mukah are organising their respective City Christmas Parade on the same day.

Other ACS branches will be organising theirs at a later date.

Besides singing of Christmas songs, participants will get to see colourful costumes of the Bible’s characters such as Joseph and Mary, angels, shepherds, wise men from the East, among others, symbolising the ancient people visiting the new-born Jesus Christ during the first Christmas, said ACS.

There will also be street performances by Shofar Blowers native drummers, tambourine dancers and musical bands during the parade.

The Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade are sending six musical bands to join in the parade.

Participants of the parade will be giving away Christmas gifts, balloons and tracts to the public while the churches will be presenting 15 colourful Christmas floats during the parade.

The parade starts from MBKS Jubilee Ground to Jalan Padungan, Jalan Tun Abdul Rahim (Waterfront), Lebuh Temple (Harbour View Hotel), Lebuh Wayang (Medan Pelita), Jalan Tabuan (Borneo Hotel), Jalan Ban Hock (Grand Continental Hotel/ MBKS flats) and ends at MBKS Jubilee Ground (total distance estimated at 4km).

Due to the parade, traffic along the parade route will be affected from 7pm to 9pm this Saturday.

Expressing regrets, ACS pointed out that access to the MBKS Jubilee Ground will be restricted from 5pm.

For further information and clarification, members of the public are advised to call event organising chairman William Ting at 019-8164385 and/or event coordinator Samuel Ting (016-8605496).