Phuket Peranakan Festival to celebrate island’s Chinese heritage

The festival will take place on the beautiful Sino-Portuguese streets of Phuket’s Old Town and is organized by the Phuket Provincial Government and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) in conjunction with the Thai Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

The event aims to showcase the sustainability of Phuket’s Old Town community, elevate the level of organization of local art and cultural festivals in Phuket, and promote the cultural heritage and appeal of the province for the mutual benefit of all parties.

Phuket City Municipality, Phuket Peranakan Association, and the Thai International Fairs and Festivals Promotion Trade Association are also participating in organizing the festival.

Besides its economic benefits in creating job opportunities and generating income for Phuket residents through tourism, the festival aims to strengthen the "City’s DNA" by highlighting its integral and indispensable Chinese heritage, known as Baba-Yaya or Peranakan which is how the descendants of Chinese emigrants refer to themselves.

The confirmed highlights of the first Phuket Peranakan Festival include the following:

• World Phuket Peranakan Carnival (historical and cultural parade) on June 24, from 5pm to 6.30pm. The parade will span a 1.2 km route through Phuket Town and expects to have over 700 participants.

• Daily street performances, Phuket Old Town Light Shows, and entertainment on Thalang Rd and Soi Rommanee from June 23-25, from 4pm to 6.30pm.

"The Phuket Peranakan Festival 2023 will grace Phuket with a spectacular parade in the style of the Extravaganza Carnival, a first-of-its-kind event on the island. Over 20 groups will join the procession. It will feature live performances depicting nostalgic old stories and a captivating light and color show that will transport the atmosphere of the past using mixed media techniques in Phuket Old Town," state the festival organizers.

Radio Thailand Phuket previously announced the traditional Chinese Weddings scheduled for May 20-23, which encompassed the weekend along with Monday and Tuesday. However, no reports of the event have emerged thus far.

For more information about the event, people are advised to visit Facebook.com/phuketperanakan, call 082 958 5173 or email phuket.peranakan@gmail.com.