The First Rainforest
Fringe Festival Kicks Off in Culturally Vibrant
Kuching City
The first ever Rainforest Fringe Festival (RFF) officially
opens on the 7th of July 2017 at the Old Court House, Sarawak Tourism Complex in
Kuching.
A prelude to the world-famous Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF),
RFF’s exciting ten-day programme includes a spectacular fashion extravaganza
(SARAWAK: Theatre of Clothes), an entertaining musical showcase (Sada Kamek:
Music of Sarawak), various engaging art and photography exhibitions, eye-catching
mixed media art showcases, a myriad of products at the craft and vintage
market, internationally acclaimed film and documentary screenings, and various talks.
From the 7th to the 16th of July, RFF is set to attract a
deluge of visitors from all corners of the world to Sarawak to offer
them a cultural and memorable experience unlike any other.
The free-for-all festival will be officiated by YB
Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth
and Sports Sarawak. A welcome addition to the state of Sarawak’s cultural
calendar, RFF is proof that Sarawak and the city of Kuching is a truly
desirable, one-of-a-kind travel destination to both local and international
visitors.
This will be followed by a picture captured by YB on
his cellphone, posted on Instagram and then printed as keepsake stickers, on a
snap-and-print device, in partnership with M-ND Media Distribution SEA. Thereafter,
a tour of the exhibitions will highlight the illustrious works of the artists
and photographers that include Raphael Scott Ahbeng, Alena Murang, Kendy Mitot,
Textile Tales of Pua Kumbu, Berawan 1955,
OH!Rainforest, Spencer Byles, Chien C. Lee, KF Wong and Jimmy Nelson.
The much-anticipated SARAWAK: Theatre of Clothes dazzles the runway at The Waterfront
Hotel on the second day of the festival. The fully booked fashion gala highlights
the region’s mastery in combining traditional and ethnic prints with modern
styles. This event features collections from trending labels and celebrated
designers Edric Ong, Ramsay Ong, Dato’ Tom Abang Saufi, Neng Kho Razali, Tanoti
and Ong Shunmugam.
Music fans will delight at the harmonious stylings
of various singers and musicians at Sada
Kamek: Music of Sarawak on Sunday (Day 3) at the Kuching Amphitheatre. The
stellar lineup features Dayang Nurfaizah, Noh Salleh, Tony Eusoff, Nading
Rhapsody, At Adau, Pete Kallang, Alena Murang and Mathew Ngau. It will be a
high-octane evening as both modern and traditional musical instruments converge
under one roof.
The labyrinthine features of the rainforest and its
remote populations will be explored in a series of free film and documentary
screenings shown daily from the 8th of July. Other free programmes
include highly informative talks detailing the lives of significant individuals
(Alfred Wallace and Charles Hose) in discovering Sarawak’s diverse flora and
fauna and making them known to the world.
Festival goers will be excited to know that irresistible
Fringe Benefits await them when they visit RFF on the weekend of 8th
and 9th of July. To stand a chance at winning paid trips to the
extremely popular Adelaide Fringe in 2018 and Joe Sidek Production’s very own Butterworth
Fringe Festival at the 2017 George Town Festival, purchase any RWMF tickets, OR
RFF merchandise worth RM120 and above at the craft and vintage market.
The
prizes include return flight tickets from Kuching to Adelaide and Kuching to
Penang on top of hotel stays and show tickets. Aside from a mélange of
artisanal products and handicrafts, get a hold of RFF’s cool merchandise and
show them off to friends and family by social tagging #RFF2017 and
#rainforestfringe.
A complete festival guide and programme registration
details are available at www.rainforestfringe.com or by following RFF @rffsarawak.
The
Rainforest Fringe Festival is hosted by The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture,
Youth and Sports Sarawak, in collaboration with Sarawak Tourism Board, and the
Rainforest World Music Festival. Other supporting partners include The Old
Court House, Sarawak Tourism Complex, Sarawak Museum Department, The Waterfront
Hotel, Kuching In and Out (KINO) and M-ND Media Distribution SEA.
M-ND is a
technology company that revolutionizes the way brands and consumers connect
with each other through multi-sensory experiences.
The M-ND snap-and-print
devices will be placed at strategic areas within the festival grounds during
the opening weekend to mainstream the festival experience in a trendy and quick
way.
About Joe Sidek Productions Sdn Bhd
Joe
Sidek Productions Sdn Bhd is an events management company specialising in the
areas of Arts, Culture and Heritage. The company is the official secretariat of
George Town Festival since 2010, and has its primary role of administering and
implementation of all Festival programmes, partnerships, marketing and finance.
Other projects under JSP’s wings include Butterworth Fringe Festival, the
In-Between Arts Festival and George Town City Day celebrations and the
inaugural Rainforest Fringe Festival.
So glad to see you in my colourful city during RFF which is set to be a festival not to be missed. With your presence it was added SPICES.Welcome back anytime to our rainforest!
ReplyDeleteMUIMUI@Vicky Fong
Delete