festivals/celebrations | IpohWorld's World

May the new year bring you prosperity and good health. Xin Nian Kuai Le! from all of us at

picture courtesy of NST Happy Thaipusam, from all of us at:

Happy Deepavali! from all of us at:

On the occasion of the birthday of His Majesty Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah. Dirgahayu Tuanku!

We’re 66! Can you believe it? Happy Independence Day!

Here’s another two pictures from Mun Chor Seng. Does anyone recall this float parade? Or, perhaps you remember these unique floats?

We thank Mun Chor Seng for this photo. Here we have Ipoh’s black-and-white Amahs walking in a Wesak Day Parade. This is of course Brewster Road…and one of the shop houses in the background is none other than Lean Kap Seng’s photographic studio (which many of you may know as Scoop photo studio).

In conjunction with the birthday of His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah, the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. Daulat Tuanku!

The activity appears to be centred around the England Dobi Shop where the procession may well have stopped to give a demonstration, and there are large numbers of spectators in attendance. Numerous vehicles in the street are probably being delayed by the festivities and have formed a traffic jam. I wonder which part of […]

picture source: Star Online Whether you’re celebrating the 15th Day of the Lunar New Year (Chap Goh Mei)…. picture source: Star Online or Thaipusam, we wish you a joyous celebration. And remember to always stay safe!

No, we’re not encouraging gambling. Rather, some of you may find this (picture above) a familiar sight during Chinese New Year. Let’s hear from our mahjong experts out there!

May your wishes come true, and your good fortune multiply like rabbits! from all of us at:

Nothing like a good ‘ol Lion Dance Troupe to welcome Chinese New Year. Speaking of which, has anyone here been part of a troupe at some point in your youth? (maybe you were ‘part’ of the ‘lion’ too?) This guy certainly wanted to join in the fun! Read more here. picture source: NST online

Happy New Year! Here’s to feeling thankful for the year behind and enthusiastic for the year ahead.

Some say he rode on a sleigh, pulled by reindeer. Then, there were sightings of him ‘jumping off a plane with a parachute‘. (see below) The REME men, however, said he ‘travelled by train‘. How did Santa deliver YOUR presents?

When was the last time YOU received a Christmas (or any other greeting) card?

Do you recognise the background? If you do, you would know WHERE this wedding reception took place 🙂 We thank Nancy Ong for sharing this picture with us.

May the light of the lamp give a new light to your life every moment. May this holy festival of lights bring happiness, peace and prosperity in your life. from all of us at:

No, this isn’t part of a circus troupe. Neither is this a Chinese New Year celebration (yes, I know some of you spotted the ‘lion’ in the background). This is actually part of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival parade. We thank our donor – Ann Kesselring Hamon – for sharing this with us. Here’s another […]

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from all of us at

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Looks like the YMCA is all set for Merdeka celebrations. Have you put up your flag(s) yet?

We thank Gary Au Yong for this picture. It was taken on 25 April 1953. This is said to be the Perak Hoteliers’ Association at Fu Heng’s 3rd anniversary.

Here’s another one from the Watson album. We were told that this was taken at the Ipoh Club.

How’s this for a lovely family photograph? We’re guessing this was taken during Hari Raya. In the picture are Jaafar and whom we believe to be his grandchildren. Don’t they look great in their baju Raya?

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We thank Shyamala Manoharan for this lovely picture. This picture was taken at a birthday party, at the Ashby Road Transit Quarters, in the 1960s. Incidentally, as our donor tells us, this ice cream seller served ice cream at many a party there.

Greetings for the Year of the Tiger! Picture courtesy of Ho Hoo Wan.

Here’s one from 1985, taken at the opening of Wisma Taiko in Ipoh. I’m sure many of you recognise the VIPs in this photo 🙂

The photograph shows the wedding day of John Arthur Stuart Jennings and Rose Winnifred Jennings, which took place at St George’s Church, George Town, Penang on November 10th 1910. What did YOU wear to your wedding? 🙂

May your festival of lights celebrations be fun, safe, and spiritual. Wishing you a bright and joyous Diwali. from all of us at

We thank Charlie Choong for these photographs. These were taken during a parade in Ipoh. Could it have been during the Nine Emperor Gods festival? Can you guess the year?

According to this advertisement (from 1988), this place offered a “City Day Special”. Does anyone remember where Cowboy’s Inn was? And, perhaps what’s become of the place?

Heartiest congratulations and best wishes on the birthday of His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. Dirgahayu Tuanku!

…Ipoh was declared a city! Here’s one memorable newspaper cutting of the celebrations. (more samples can be found here)

Celebrations have been muted this year, due to the MCO. However, we’d like to share an old photograph of what seems to be a Hari Raya party. On the back of this photograph are the words: “Hari Raya Dinner 10th May 1958, MJC ”

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Today being International Women’s Day, we’d like to extend our wishes to all the amazing women – both in and around Ipoh, as well as the rest of the planet. Our featured post today is about women in sports: Here is S P Seenivasagam, presenting trophies to Yeow Phaik Poh and Doreen Seow. This […]

Here’s something we may have missed this Chinese New Year, due to the MCO. We thank Ann Kesselring Hamon for these pictures.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and colorful life this Christmas. Enjoy every moment with your family, friends, and your loved ones. Merry Christmas!

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On the occasion of the birthday of His Majesty Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, the Sultan of Perak. Dirgahayu Tuanku!

Happy Malaysia Day, dear readers!

Taken in Papan in the grounds of the Raja Bilah complex outside the Rumah Besar (also known as a Rumah Godang), this photograph shows Raja Yaacob in ceremonial Malay dress with several other Malay men seated or standing around a table. There is a label on the table in Jawi that we believe translates into […]

The word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the Tamil month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam. This particular star is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a Vel “spear” so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. We at IpohWorld would like […]

It must have been a really grand birthday, judging by the 4-tiered cake. The gentleman holding up his wine glass is none other than the birthday boy himself – Towkay Lau Pak Kuan.

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Since Chinese New Year is just around the corner, have you been busy decorating your houses? What do you usually put up? Red Lanterns? Decorations depicting the Chinese Zodiac? (I believe this year is the Year of the Rat). What about a large red paper fan?

We thank Ann Kesselring Hamon for sharing this photo with us. We were told that this was taken in 1957, at ACS Ipoh.

On this festival of lights, we hope that your happiness is multiplied and your sorrows divided. May this auspicious festival bring you and your family health, wealth and success. Happy Deepavali.

Murukku is a savoury, crunchy snack originating from the Indian subcontinent, popular in southern India, and Sri Lanka. The name derives from the Tamil word for “twisted”. Murukku is typically made from rice and urad dal flour. The flours are mixed with water, salt, chilli powder, asafoetida and either sesame seeds or cumin seeds. The mix is kneaded into a dough, which is shaped […]

In conjunction with the birthday of His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al Musta’in Billah Shah. Daulat Tuanku!

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Hope everyone has their tickets. Oh, and remember to be there early. Where? Why at Merdeka Stadium of course!

We were told by our donor (Alan Wanless) that this photo was taken in Sungai Siput. The picture shows some of the guests which attended a Merdeka Day celebration, back in 1957. Among those in attendance was a cute doggy (bottom right) 🙂 😉

This cute photograph is from the Yeoh family album. Ladies, were you ever dressed as such for a wedding? Were flower crowns a fashion statement back then?

Heard about the Ipoh Food Festival? Check out the posters below: Here’s a message from the organisers: We have many exciting workshops and experience for tourist to sign up. Some are also free. Including 1) Dine in the Dark (rm15 per pax) Register via WhatsApp name > 012-4128038 Rattan Basket Weaving Workshop [1 seat left] […]

Don’t know what to do the coming long weekend? Well, why don’t you head on out to Ipoh Old Town. Lots of exciting events will be happening on the 19th and 20th of January 2019 – you wouldn’t want to miss it! Curious? Want to know more? Visit the Sama Sama Perak Facebook […]

Many of you may have seen the Kuomintang Parade photos on our database. Here’s another one, from Ann Kesselring Hamon’s collection. What’s so special about this, you ask? Well, it’s in colour! ps: Recognise the street?

Yes, “Visit Malaya” posters existed back in 1961! Here’s one which some of you may have seen… (you can read more about this poster here).

Anyone remember this parade? Special thanks to Charlie Choong for these photographs.

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I’m sure many of you can guess what this is 🙂 Yes, these are cake pans used to make the famous Nian Gao – which is made from glutinous rice. While it can be eaten all year round, traditionally it is most popular during Chinese New Year. It is considered good luck to eat nian gao during this […]

Enjoy this nostalgic photo from 1957. Happy Thaipusam from all of us at:

We thank Thomas Lee for sharing this photograph with us. These happy children seem every excited about their lanterns. Did YOU own such a lantern when you were their age?

Here’s a picture (from Mohd Taib) of Hugh Low Street, back in August 1957, all decorated for the occasion. wishes all of you Happy Merdeka! Can you believe it’s been 60 years already?

Do you have a favourite birthday memory? We’d like to hear about it…just for nostalgia’s sake. Here’s a nice photo of Honey Lim, celebrating her 2nd birthday.

PS: Those of you heading back to your home town, drive safely…

“Commonly made of bamboo, plastic, wood or stainless steel, Chopsticks were first used by the Chinese. This later spread to various parts of the world through cultural influence or through Chinese immigrant communities. How does one use chopsticks? Well, the lower chopstick is stationary, and rests at the base of the thumb, and between the ring […]

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This photograph – from Sybil de ROQUIGNY-IRAGNE – was taken at Kam Loong Restaurant, back in the 1960s. They were celebrating a relative’s 60th birthday! Yes, the Year of the Rooster is upon us…and some of us are already in a party-mood 🙂 Does anyone have a funny story to share…about something that happened during […]

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Of late, Ipoh old town has been getting increasingly popular — it’s great, but everyone also goes to the same spaces for the same experiences.We know there is plenty to learn of Ipoh old town, many more places and stories to explore and uncover. So we’ll be working with Doodle Malaysia to draw out a […]

On the occasion of HRH’s birthday, DYMM Paduka Seri Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah from all of us at:

May the joy, cheer, mirth and merriment of this divine festival surround you forever. May the happiness, which this Deepavali season brings lasts forever. From all of us at:

These look familiar, don’t they? You can always find them during the Nine Emperor Gods festival. What I’d like to know is, what do those Chinese characters printed on the bun mean? Could it be the name of the bakery?

Selamat Hari Merdeka ke-59!

picture from: Gogan Singh According to our donor, he and his friends were part of the few non-Chinese devotees who took part in the 9 Emperor Gods festival back in 1970. If you remember this particular event, did you meet them at the procession?

picture courtesy of: Star Online Lemang Kelamai is said to have originated from Pagar Ruyung, Indonesia. What gives it this lovely shade of brown? Gula Melaka, of course! The other extra ingredient is kerisik (toasted coconut). This variant of Lemang is also quite popular in the villages of Gopeng. Have you tried this variant before? If you […]

Here’s wishing all our followers a joyous and peaceful Raya; Maaf Zahir & Batin! from us at:

We know you like puzzles and mysteries. So, this picture should intrigue you further. Can you guess the name of the street shown in the picture?

click to enlarge We mentioned the Bougainvillea Parade a long time ago on our blog. Here are MORE photos from that same parade, back in 2004. I don’t recall ever seeing these floats along Jalan Abdul Jalil….did any of the Greentown folk witness this back then?

Wishing all of you a prosperous Year of the Monkey. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

source = Charlie Choong Do the shops look familiar to you? Yes, this is none other than Brewster Road. Note that traffic was not as heavy as it is now….back then you could still have parades and processions on the streets!

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We at wish you peace and joy this Deepavali!

Left picture source = ipohWorld; Right picture source = Star Publication From what we were told, there used be street processions in Ipoh during the 9-Emperor Gods Festival! Today, we’re featuring a Then and Now photograph. On the left is a picture from 1947, on the right is a recent photograph (from the Star).

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From all of us at Maaf Zahir & Batin

click to enlarge The above is a programme (sent via email) from LeanMS. As you can see, the ACS Alumni have many events scheduled for the next few months. Lean also told us: “In order not to in any way affect attendance at the Festival of Performing Arts, we have decided to reschedule the […]

We at Ipoh World convey our heartiest congratulations to HRH Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, on being crowned the 35th Sultan of Perak.

Farewell Party for Fr Ciatti, April 1970 (click to enlarge) Christmas Party, Nazareth Kindergarten. Catholic Centre, Ipoh. 10th November 1970 (click to enlarge) These photographs were taken from Michael Ho’s collection. It wasn’t that long ago, so I’m sure some of you might remember this kindergarten. Today, this building is still standing….but it’s no […]

Keith Nelson sent us these a couple of years ago. We thought we’d share them with you, since we’re still in the season of Chinese New Year. We’d love to hear your memories about the ever famous Lion Dance; it would be a bonus if we heard from someone who was part of the dance […]

For those of you who don’t know what’s on the plate, it is none other than the famed Chinese New Year dish Yee Sang – a Teochew style raw fish salad. It consists of strips of raw fish and shredded vegetables, tossed together with a variety of sauces and condiments. This dish is also known […]

‘As Indians prepare for Ponggal, which falls today, earthen pots were snapped up at Little India in Jalan Lahat recently.’ Shoppers had the choice to either buy the plain pots or those with colourful designs. Besides the pots, other essential items for the harvest festival that shoppers bought were sugarcane, milk, brown sugar, firewood, cashew […]

Just in case you didn’t know, today is Boxing Day – nothing to do with the actual sport, but rather it’s the day where gifts are exchanged and opened. In some countries, today is an official holiday too! The picture above, from Ruth Iversen Rollitt, was not taken on 26th December…but I think fits well […]

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With Christmas just around the corner, we thought we’d share this picture (from Larry Sawyer) with all of you. This is a scene from Kampar – where Santa came to town in a bullock cart instead of a reindeer-driven sleigh! I’m sure the children must have been really excited to see this! 🙂

picture courtesy of: Alison Cotterill (nee Caldwell) This picture is from the Caldwell family album – showing the Caldwells at a local wedding. Does anyone recognise the newly weds?

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(courtesy of Larry Sawyer) All you Philatelists out there may remember this First Day Cover (or even have it in your collection!). Yes, this one came out back in 1957 – when Malaya received her Independence. Just wondering: were there OTHER such souvenirs made for this momentous occasion? (like mugs, badges, t-shirts, etc.)

Ruth Iversen Rollitt (our donor) tells us that there was a time when F&N supplied swings and slides for birthday parties! I didn’t know this, did YOU? Did F&N bring such joy to your birthday parties? We’d like to know your favourite F&N memory 😉 If Ruth is reading this, do tell us more about […]

We at ipohWorld extend our warmest greetings to all our Muslim Readers – Selamat Hari Raya; Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

It’s Party time again! ~ Come & CELEBRATE! our fun & wonderful years of Life & Friendship Together! – *Saturday, August 2nd, 2014* *@ Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites, Ipoh.* This year will see the debut of our Alma Mater’s magnificient Bagpipers & Wushu Drummers! Get ready to be tickled and entertained by the professional […]

Situated at 2A Market Square, Taiping, this is the project of Tan Kok Siew (Kapitan Antiques) who has leased this old house and filled two floors with antiques and collectables from days gone by. Entrance is RM5.00. The museum is opem every day from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm. Apart from the items on display, […]

From the pictures, we think that this float was one of the many at a Merdeka Parade back in 1967. Does anyone remember this parade? If you do, where was it held – at the Stadium, or along the main streets of the town? Also notice the old Malay used in the description and the […]

We’ve heard about and have even watched many famous operas. To some fans, it doesn’t matter what if said operas were not in English! Today, we’d like to know if any of you remember the Chinese Operas. From what we know, they began in Ipoh when Yau Tet Shin built the New Town Complex in […]

…St Bernadette’s Convent (in Batu Gajah) had a charity event for the victims of the Turkish earthquake? Here’s a photograph to jog your memory (see below) We were told that this replica of the Malaysian flag was made entirely of JELLY! Can anyone tell us more about this event? Do you recognise the official cutting […]

Want to do something different this year for Earth Hour? How about joining this fund-raising event? (click poster above to enlarge) Part of the proceeds of the ticket sales will be donated to the WWF-Malaysia. Your generous contribution will also pay for 40 underprivileged children from various charitable organisations – who will be able to […]

Despite Ipoh’s long romance with all things food-related and the abundance of hotels, restaurants and clubs in town, Ipoh has never before taken part in the international tradition of the waiters’ race. On the 25th of May 2013, that is about to change. Organised jointly by the Ipoh City Council (MBI), Perak Tourism Association […]

Here’s a Christmas wish, printed on a movie poster, from Rex Cinema in Ipoh. Any fans of Jane Russell and/or Jeanne Crain out there? Did the songs in this movie make you want to get up and dance/sing along [like Saturday Night Fever or Sound of Music]?

A (Medieval) Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols International choir CANTUS MUSICUS and Jusz Kidz Children’s Choir will present an Advent service of THE FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS & CAROLS in the sanctuary of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Kuala Lumpur on 9 December 2012 (Sunday), at 6.00pm. This is a traditional Christian choral festival in […]

The girl in the picture seems overjoyed as she poses with her birthday cake and presents. Notice the presents on the table: biscuits, prunes and a mock iron. I vaguely recall posing for similar pictures during my early birthdays. I didn’t receive biscuits….instead I had dolls, a large LEGO set (which I still have and […]

Here’s the 4th installment in IpohBornKid’s series. The picture (circa 1958) shows a little boy in brand new clothes – specially worn for Chinese New Year. In the background is the Man Hua Primary School. Episode 4 -The 12 Grand Children of Chong Soon Fan Celebrating Chinese New Year & the Ang Pow trail By IpohBornKid […]

These pictures were sent to us by Lam Lai Meng, an Alumni of MGS. This first picture needs no explanation. The second picture was taken at the Regal Lodge, Ipoh. This large group met on 16th of February 2010, during the Chinese New Year period. Lam had this to say about this picture: “CNY 2010 […]

During the past weeks we’ve had hints about an up-coming reunion for the ACS and MGS Alumni. Here’s the official advertisement. As stated in the poster, this event is scheduled for the 4th of August 2012 at the Grand Valley Ballroom, Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites. The party, themed “Friends Forever”, kicks off at 6pm. Spread […]

Sometime ago, we featured a Unique Wedding photograph on our blog. Well, IpohBornKid has sent us a copy of the certificate from that wedding (see picture below). IpohBornKid was also kind enough to give us rough translation too: The long awaited sequel to the Wedding Photo is here. In this marriage certain, the following translation […]

Suffice to say, the picture explains it all 🙂 I especially like the doll attached to the hood of the car (which is rarely seen today). Well IpohWorld fans: do you remember YOUR wedding car?

…..folks in Ipoh witnessed the 9-Goddess Celebrations. The procession passed through one of Ipoh’s busiest roads, back in 1982/83. As you can see in this picture, they are passing by the Perak Chinese Foundry Association (building on the left). Anyone have any idea about the other building in the background – the one under construction? […]