Penang's flagship lion dance contest, the 15th Penang International High Pole Lion Dance Invitational Competition (第15届槟城国际高桩舞狮邀请赛), takes place from 4 to 6 December 2026 at the Auto City Concept Hall in Juru on the mainland. It is organised by the Penang State Government through the office of the State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy, with the Kepala Batas Tiong Hua sports and cultural association as co-organiser.
Buletin Mutiara reports that 41 teams will compete for the Lion King title: 20 from Malaysia, 10 from China (including teams from Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Shaanxi, Hong Kong and Macau), two each from Australia, Singapore and Indonesia, and one each from the United States, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam. Admission is free.
High-pole lion dance (高桩舞狮) is the acrobatic version of the art, with two performers inside each lion leaping between steel poles that can stand well above head height, all in time to drums, cymbals and gongs. Expect gasps, drumming you feel in your chest and plenty of hometown cheering for the Malaysian teams, which are among the strongest in the world.
Who is it for? Families, culture lovers and photographers on both sides of the channel. Mainland residents in Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam and Seberang Jaya have it on their doorstep, and island folk can be there in about 20–30 minutes via the Penang Bridge outside peak hours.
Highlights
- 41 teams from nine countries
- Lion King title on steel high poles
- Free entry
- Mainland venue in Juru
Tips
- Finals are usually the most exciting; check PETACE or Penang Global Tourism for the day-by-day programme.
- Bring earplugs for small children: the drums are loud.
Not yet confirmed by the organiser: timeText, venue address. We'll update this page when details are published.
How to get there
Auto City Concept Hall (威中柔府汽车城). Best reached by car or Grab; Auto City sits at the Juru interchange of the North-South Expressway, a short drive from the Penang Bridge mainland end and Bukit Mertajam. Open in Google Maps or open in Waze.
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Information from Buletin Mutiara – Penang set for three days of high-flying lion dance action (13 Oct 2026), Penang Global Tourism event listing & poster. Last verified .
Details change — confirm with the organiser before you go. Spotted an error? Tell us.
