Semadang Tagang Festival 2017 from tomorrow to Sunday
KUCHING: The third edition of Semadang Tagang Festival will take place from tomorrow (July 28) to Sunday at Kampung Semadang, Jalan Puncak Borneo, 40km from Kuching City.
The festival, which is first of its kind in the country to involve a tagang system, is jointly organised by Kampung Semadang Development and Security Committee, the state Department of Agriculture and Kampung Semadang Tagang System Committee.
It will start off with music and dance tomorrow evening (July 28), featuring local artistes, starting at 8pm and ends at midnight.
“The three- day festival is packed with many interesting activities which festival goers will definitely enjoy participating in,” said the festival director Robert Kenneth.
He said the fishing competition on Saturday (July 29) from 10am till 1.30pm is expected to attract more than 300 participants, including those from China, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, Mauritius and also from Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.
Robert added that this year the fishing competition is divided into two categories – Local Anglers Category and the Tourists/ Media Category, offering total cash prizes of RM3,000 besides trophies to the winners.
“In the evening will be the Miss Tagang Beauty Pageant featuring 12 contestants who are winners of other beauty pageants held around Kuching, Samarahan, Bau, Serian and Sri Aman,” said Robert.
He said the winner of the pageant will receive RM1,000, RM5,000 scholarship from UCSI University, a pewter trophy, sash and crown.
The first runner-up will receive RM700 cash, RM3,000 worth of scholarship from UCSI University, a pewter trophy, sash and crown, while second runner-up will win RM500 cash, RM2,000 worth of scholarship sponsored by UCSI University, a pewter trophy, sash and crown, he added.
“The evening will also feature several local singers including former Bintang RTM champion Felicia Gek and an Iban singer Angela Martin,” he said.
On Sunday, starting at 10am, the activities will be at the Semadang River where bamboo rafting and kayak race will be held.
Assistant Minister of Transportation Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, who is Mambong assemblyman, will officiate at the opening.
Robert said the festival also received the support of the federal Tourism and Culture Ministry, Sarawak Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry as well as several other government agencies and companies.
“This year’s festival is going to be held in a larger scale and will be celebrated with various activities such as fishing competition, Miss Tagang beauty contest, cooking competition, bamboo rafting, kayak race, music and dance, food bazaar, exhibitions and games for children,” added Robert.