Citrawarna 2026 returned to Dataran Merdeka as one of Tourism Malaysia’s flagship events under the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign. The festival’s signature Colours of Parade featured 3,500 performers representing all 13 states and three Federal Territories, as well as Malaysia’s multicultural communities.
Organised by Tourism Malaysia, with the support of Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), Warisan Kuala Lumpur, Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN), Istana Budaya, and Muzium Tekstil Negara, Citrawarna 2026 serves as a national platform to promote Malaysia’s arts, heritage, and cultural tourism to local and international visitors.
The event was attended by YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, and YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia. Their presence marks the significance of Citrawarna as one of the country’s flagship tourism events in support of VM2026.
As the festival’s centrepiece, Colours of Parade showcases traditional costumes, music, dance, and cultural performances by contingents representing all 13 states and three Federal Territories alongside Malaysia’s multicultural communities, reflecting the traditions, stories, and identities that have shaped the nation.
Citrawarna 2026 has also attracted over 700 international visitors through specially curated travel packages, with participants from markets including China, India, Mauritius, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and France. Their participation reflects international interest in Malaysia’s cultural tourism experiences and provides visitors with an opportunity to experience the country’s heritage, traditions and hospitality first-hand.
Citrawarna 2026 is built around four signature experiences: Colours of Parade, Colours of Flavour, Colours of Culture, and Colours of Art. Over the three-day festival, the programme features more than 70 food and beverage offerings, over 20 cultural activity stations, and more than 10 arts and crafts booths, alongside performances, heritage demonstrations, traditional games, and interactive experiences.
Culture is best appreciated through experience. While the Colours of Parade presents Malaysia’s cultural diversity on stage, Citrawarna 2026 also encourages visitors to discover it first-hand through batik painting, ketupat weaving, traditional culinary demonstrations, and other interactive activities led by artisans and cultural practitioners. These experiences help younger generations reconnect with their heritage while offering international visitors a deeper understanding of Malaysia’s rich traditions and diverse cultures.
The celebration also features contemporary performances by Malaysian artistes such as Wani Kayrie, Bulan Asryaff, Dr Soo Wincci, Santesh Kumar, Ernie Zakri, and Aina Abdul, together with Kumpulan Balle-Balle.
Citrawarna 2026 also welcomes participants for Tourism Malaysia’s Mega Fam programme, providing international media, tourism industry representatives, and content creators with the opportunity to experience Malaysia’s cultural offerings first-hand while supporting the promotion of VM2026 in international markets.
The festival continued until 26th July 2026 (Sunday) at Dataran Merdeka, with programmes across all four festival experiences featuring performances, culinary activities, arts and crafts demonstrations, and interactive heritage activities.
