There are several Miri festivals visitors will enjoy. The dates of all festivals, except Christmas, are calculated based on the Islamic lunar calendar or the Chinese calendar. To obtain the exact dates, you should contact the Miri Tourism Office.

Chinese New Year Festival

The Chinese New Year Festival begins on the first day of the first month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the fifteenth day. These days usually fall near the end of January or the beginning of February. Each year in the Chinese calendar is named after 1 of the 12 animals of the Chinese calendar. On New Year's Eve, every member of a household attends a reunion dinner and temple visits are made the next day. This festival lasts for 15 days and you can attend several festivities and exhibitions as well as yam seng (bottoms up) parties and feasts.

Festival of the Patriotic Poet

This festival isalso known as the Dumpling Festival and begins on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (late May). This festival honors Chu Yuan Wa who was a minister of the State of Chu until corruption forced him out. For the next 20 years of his life, he traveled around the country and wrote poems against corruption. To honor him, fishermen row boats to the middle of rivers and throw rice dumplings into the water. You can attend Dragon Boat Races in Penang.

Gawai Dayak

It is celebrated in early June to mark the end of the padi planting season and the beginning of a new season. A day before the celebration, every member of a family will attend a reunion ceremony where the youngest family member will offer a plate of specially prepared food to his parents. During the festival, the Dayaks are decked in their finest traditional costumes and Tuak (rice wine) is served. They also sacrifice livestock for a good harvest.

Hari Raya Puasa Festival

This festival is held the first day of Ramadhan, which is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, near the beginning of August. Muslims decorate the insides and outsides of their houses with lamps and colorful lights, wear new clothes and prepare a large variety of cakes, meats, curries and ketupat (rice boil in pandan leaves).

Moon Cake Festival

This festival takes place at the beginning of August and commemorates the Chinese victory against the Mongols. The Chinese defeated the Mongols by passing messages hidden in cakes under the noses of their captors. For this festival, various sizes and shapes of moon cakes stores are are sold in stores erected along a city center street. These moon cakes are stuffed with lotus seeds, pork, egg and bean paste (both sweet and sour varieties). You can also attend lantern processions.

Christmas Eve

It is also celebrated here and the Malaysians hold traditional open houses.