RWMF, BJF await festival revellers in July

MIRI: A great time awaits festival goers from around the world to Sarawak in July this year as two of the top internationally recognised music festivals in the state - the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) and the Borneo Jazz Festival (BJF) – will be held during the month.

The RWMF will be taking place at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching from July 12 to 14, while the BJF is slated for July 19 to 21 at Coco Cabana here.

Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin said selection of the dates is to coincide with the peak season of tourists coming to Sarawak.

“After the Rainforest (RWMF), they can spend a few days in Mulu and then to Miri for Borneo Jazz. They can stay in Sarawak for at least a week to visit other places.

“This is the rationale we hold these festivals in July,” Lee told reporters after chairing a meeting with the organising committee of BJF 2019 at Sarawak Islamic Complex Miri yesterday.

Lee, who is also Senadin assemblyman, said the 14th BJF annual event will be held on a bigger scale and is targeting over 4,000 visitors.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) will be providing canopies for food stalls, handicrafts and local produce to enliven the festival atmosphere.

Musicians from Japan, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States, to name a few, have been invited to perform at the festival alongside several local jazz artistes and groups.

Tickets for the 14th BJF will be on sale starting next week.

A total of RM11,000 worth of prizes will be up for grabs at the Borneo Jazz Talent Search and DJ Talent Search talent competitions.

The competitions are only open to musicians from all over Borneo - Sarawak, Sabah, Kalimantan and Brunei Darussalam.

Auditions will take place on April 30 in Miri and May 1 in Kuching.

Present at the press conference were STB chief executive officer Sharzede Datu Salleh Askor, director of events and corporate communications Angelina Bateman, Miri Resident Mastapha Julaihi, and No Black Tie founder and festival director Evelyn Hii.