Things to do this weekend in Klang Valley
There’s hardly a boring day in Klang Valley, with exhibitions and pop-up stores happening each weekend in the city. For those opting to ditch their pyjamas for a weekend outing, here’s our weekly roundup of things to do this weekend in Klang Valley so you can make the most of your day off.
Table of Contents
- Things to do this weekend in Klang Valley
- 1. Nasi Kandaq Fest 2.0
- 2. Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation
- 3. Nayeon @ BONIA 50th Anniversary Pop-Up
- 4. The Garden @ Telecom Museum
- 5. What Tigers Dream Of, When The Kancil Roars @ GMBB
- 6. Palm Practices
- 7. CHAGEE Pop-up
- 8. Be Happy @ Central Market
- 9. The Singles’ Market
- 10. Nailoong On Vacation
- – Ongoing events in Klang Valley –
- 11. Crayon Shin-Chan Experience
- 12. Krystal Valley Exhibition @ National Art Gallery
- 13. Exploring Local Art 2.0
- 14. Snooze Fest @ IKEA
- 15. Art & Symphony: The Immersive Journey
- 16. Augmented Reality Festival KL
- 17. IVE Switch Pop-up
- 18. Happy Fun Park
- 19. Twilight @ REXPERIENCE
1. Nasi Kandaq Fest 2.0
21st & 22nd September
Image credit: Friedchillies via Facebook
It’s hard to say no to a plate of nasi kandar with fluffy rice buried gloriously underneath curry and proteins. At Nasi Kandaq Fest 2.0, which returns to Sunway Putra Mall, foodies can indulge in the local dish from 11 Nasi Kandar restaurants across Malaysia in one spot.
KL’s Restoran Hameediyah, Penang’s Nasi Kandar Pelita Chai Leng Park, and Ipoh’s Restoran Majeedia are just some of the popular restaurants that’ll be having pop-up stalls at the festival. There are also seating areas for visitors to dine on their favourite nasi kandar pick.
Admission: Free
Venue: Main Driveway, Main Concourse & East Wing, Ground Floor, Sunway Putra Mall, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 21st & 22nd September 2024
Time: 10am-10pm
Contact: Friedchillies Facebook
2. Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation
20th September to 3rd October
‘Out Of The Shadow’, a film about a mother-and-daughter crime-fighting duo, will open up the Hong Kong film festival in Malaysia.
Image credit: Osaka Asian Film Festival
The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation comprises screening roadshows across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia. In the country, there’ll be showtimes for seven Hong Kong films on selected days at the GSC outlet in The Starling Mall. Catch Malaysian premieres of films such as The Remnant, Out Of The Shadow, and Love Lies.
Movie tickets are just RM5 per pax, with Chinese and English subtitles. You can purchase them online at GSC’s website here.
Image credit: Asian Film Awards Academy
Complementing the screenings is an exhibition titled From Idea To Icon: Crafting the Hong Kong Cinema, which covers the behind-the-scenes process of the featured films, from storyboard scripts to post-production. It’ll run from 21st September to 3rd October, from 12pm to 9pm.
Exhibition admission: Free
Venue: The Starling Mall, Petaling Jaya
Date: 20th September to 3rd October 2024
Contact: Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation website
3. Nayeon @ BONIA 50th Anniversary Pop-Up
21st September 2024
Image credit: BONIA
Nayeon of K-pop girl group Twice will be making a stop in Malaysia as the brand ambassador and muse of Malaysian-based fashion retailer BONIA, for the BONIA 50th Anniversary Pop-Up on 21st September. The event will take place at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, showcasing Bonia’s 50th Anniversary Sustainable collection which includes backpacks, totes, and crossbody carries.
Admission: Free
Venue: Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Date: 21st September 2024
Contact: BONIA Instagram
4. The Garden @ Telecom Museum
20th August 2024 to 29th September 2024
Image credit: Cloud Joi
Held at Kuala Lumpur’s Telekom Museum, The Garden by French artist Jeremy Griffaud brings together art and an interactive VR experience. His first multimedia projection-mapping exhibition features a fantasy garden, which visitors will step into with the help of a VR headset to take on the mission of managing unique plant species within the surreal space.
Admission: RM15/pax for adults | RM5/pax for children below 12 and senior citizens
Purchase tickets to The Garden here.
Venue: Telecom Museum, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 20th August 2024 to 29th September 2024
Time: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm
Contact: Filamen Instagram
5. What Tigers Dream Of, When The Kancil Roars @ GMBB
1st August 2024 to 29th September 2024
Image credit: Cloud Joi
Nearby Telecom Museum, at the artsy hub GMBB, you can check out another mixed-media digital exhibition titled What Tigers Dream Of, When the Kancil Roars? by the same new media art collective, Filamen. It reimagines the myths of Malaysia’s own Sang Kancil and Harimau through digital projections and imaginative sculptures, to let visitors ponder on the topic of Malaysian Dream.
Admission: RM15/pax for adults | RM5/pax for children below 12 and senior citizens
Purchase tickets to What Tigers Dream Of, When The Kancil Roars? here.
Venue: Media Art Gallery, Level 3, GMBB
Date: 1st August 2024 to 29th September 2024
Time: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm
Contact: Filamen Instagram
6. Palm Practices
4th September to 31st October
Image credit: The Forest House at Perdana Botanical Gardens via Facebook
Forest House is inviting visitors to learn more about Malaysia’s rich palm heritage at their Palm Practices exhibition, by hosting a gallery and workshops to learn more about the craft from Orang Asli artisans and craft makers.
Image credit: The Forest House at Perdana Botanical Gardens via Facebook
Explore the uses of local palm trees by the Semai and Mah Meri communities, and also the intricate designs of their crafts made from palm trees, which Malaysia happens to have 400 species of.
Admission: Free
Venue: The Forest House at Perdena Botanical Gardens
Date: 4th September to 31st October 2024
Time: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm (By appointment only) | Sat & Sun 10am-4pm
Contact: Forest House Facebook | Instagram
7. CHAGEE Pop-up
20th September to 22nd September
Image credit: @sunway_pyramid via Instagram
To celebrate its new flagship store at Sunway Pyramid, CHAGEE is hosting a pop-up at the mall’s Orange Concourse. The pop-up event features a huge display of CHAGEE’s popular cup for photo ops, and other activities for visitors to check out such as free tea tasting and games to complete and win freebies.
Image credit: @sunway_pyramid via Instagram
There’s also a DIY station to make a CHAGEE badge of your own and tote bags to redeem when you spend RM50 at the pop-up.
Admission: Free
Venue: Orange Concourse, LG2, Sunway Pyramid, Subang Jaya
Date: 20th September to 22nd September 2024
Time: 10am-10pm
8. Be Happy @ Central Market
20th September to 22nd September 2024
Image credit: Central Market
If Pasar Seni is a regular weekend lepak spot for you, then you’ll be have yet another reason to visit it this weekend – the Be Happy bazaar. The historic centre for arts and craft in KL already has shops peddling all sorts of goods for locals and tourists alike to browse through, but the bazaar will welcome more vendors for the bazaar to shop from local creators and makers, and try out local street foods.
Admission: Free
Venue: Central Market, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 20th September to 22nd September 2024
Time: 10am-10pm
Contact: Central Market website
9. The Singles’ Market
29th August to 29th September
Image credit: @hero_photographer_2024 via Instagram
It’s not too late to check out The Singles’ Market at LaLaport BBCC, as the event will be around for two more weekends in September. As it coincides with the Mid-Autumn festivities, you’ll get to take photos with fun installations like illuminated rabbits and a huge full moon.
Image adapted from: LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre via Facebook
Other things to do at the market include shopping from local vendors, munching on street food, listening to live band performances, and of course, a Wishing Zone, Singles’ Museum, and Speed Dating zone that those single and ready to mingle can check out.
Admission: Free
Venue: Central Rooftop Garden, Level 4, LaLaport BBCC, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 29th August to 29th September 2024
Time: Thu-Sun 4.30pm-10pm
10. Nailoong On Vacation
7th September to 22nd September 2024
Image credit: LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre via Facebook
The school holidays are coming to an end soon, so make the most of this weekend by bringing the kiddos to the Nailoong On Vacation pop-up at LaLaport BBCC. It’s hosting fun workshops like colouring, sand art craft, and cubee craft that the kiddos will enjoy. There’s also a fun paw-shaped maze to figure your way out of and meet-and-greet sessions with the adorable cartoon character.
Admission: Free
Venue: Main Atrium, Ground Floor, LaLaport BBCC, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 7th September to 22nd September 2024
Time: 10am-10pm
Contact: LaLaport BBCC website
– Ongoing events in Klang Valley –
11. Crayon Shin-Chan Experience
14th September to 10th December
Step into the cheeky world of Crayon Shin-Chan at the Crayon Shin-Chan Experience exhibition in Pavilion Bukit Jalil. It comprises five immersive photo zones that have statues and cutouts of Shin-Chan and his friends.
There’s also rtail area with over 100 exclusive apparel, collectibles, and more, as well as a cafe with food and drinks themed around Crayon Shin-Chan.
Admission: From RM25/person
Venue: Lot 3. 102, 3.103 & 3.58, Level 3 (Pink Zone), Pavilion Bukit Jalil
Date: 15th September to 10th December 2024
Contact: Aco Lab Facebook
12. Krystal Valley Exhibition @ National Art Gallery
13th September to 11th November
Image credit: @junihaoni via Instagram
Local artist Jun Ong is inviting arts and culture lovers to immerse themselves in a dazzling world of crystals in his latest installation, Krystal Valley. Held at the National Art Gallery in KL, the exhibition features a once manmade landfill transformed into a glowing valley of rocks, infused with the stories of change. Ong’s brilliance shines through in the mixed media masterpieces on display, where everyday objects and crystal-like forms come together in perfect harmony.
Admission: Free
Venue: National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 13th September to 11th November 2024
Opening hours: 9am-5pm, Daily
Contact: National Art Gallery Facebook
13. Exploring Local Art 2.0
28th August to 22nd September
Image credit: Janet
Explore Malaysian culture in miniature form at the Exploring Local Art 2.0 exhibition at The Gardens Mall. It has glass cases holding dioramas depicting daily scenes of local life, including an 11-foot-long piece that captures Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity.
Image credit: Janet
The dioramas are done by local artists including Eric Siow and Puiwan Lim, who created a collection of miniature models inspired by moments of their lives and nostalgic scenes in Malaysian cultures, such as a sundry shop, dim sum parlour, and provision stall.
Admission: Free
Venue: Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 28th August to 22nd September 2024
Contact: The Gardens Mall Facebook
14. Snooze Fest @ IKEA
7th to 29th September
Image credit: IKEA via Facebook
In September, trips to IKEA might not just be about shopping for furniture or munching on meatballs. Their annual Snooze Fest makes its return on 7th September with a lineup of fun activities at all IKEA branches nationwide – they include a nap competition on their showroom beds.
Image credit: IKEA Malaysia
Catch a Lullaby Session to hear local acts like Yuna and Zee Avi perform on selected days, or the Pyjama Day to claim a free nasi lemak from IKEA’s restaurant simply by dressing up in your pyjamas. The latter event takes place on the weekends during the festival period, between 9.30am and 10.30am.
For early birds, there’s a Morning Yoga & Free Breakfast session that happens at 8am. You’ll have to register online for this here.
Image credit: IKEA via Facebook
Putting the snooze in the festival is the Power Nap Showdown. Nappers will compete to flex their napping skills while being challenged by fun distractions – potentially shoppers gawking at you – and win prizes if they’re the best napper. This event takes place every weekend during the festival dates, from 2pm to 3pm.
Admission: Free
Venue: IKEA branches nationwide
Date: 7th to 29th September 2024
Contact: IKEA SnoozeFest 2024 website
15. Art & Symphony: The Immersive Journey
7th September to 7th November
Image credit: @framestudiomotion via Instagram
If you had a blast at Van Gogh Alive, you’ll be sure to enjoy Art & Symphony: The Immersive Journey too. Held at Fahrenheit88, the multi-sensory exhibition has immersive floor-to-ceiling projections of Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet masterpieces.
Image credit: @joannetsw25 via Instagram
They are accompanied by cutting-edge soundscapes, backed by the classical tunes of Beethoven and Mozart.
Admission: RM69/pax
Venue: 3rd Floor, Fahrenheit88, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 7th September to 7th November 2024
Time: 10am-9.45pm
Contact: Art & Symphony website
16. Augmented Reality Festival KL
30th August to 30th November
There’s no better time than now to play tourist in KL, with the first Augmented Reality Festival Kuala Lumpur 2024 happening now. The city centre of KL is the venue for this festival, with QR codes strategically placed at different hotspots around the city to discover.
Image adapted from: @girlgirljoey via Instagram
Spend a day searching for them, and scan the codes to watch popular murals like the ones at Kwai Chai Hong come to life, or digital sculptures hover over landmarks like The Starhill. At Dataran Merdeka, in particular, you can have a virtual tour guide join in on your explorations to explain more about local heritage.
Admission: Free
Venue: Around KL
Date: 30th August to 30th November 2024
Contact: AR Fest 2024 website | Instagram
17. IVE Switch Pop-up
29th August to 29th September
Image credit: @fahrenheit88 via Instagram
After making its debut in Seoul in May, the IVE Switch Pop-up is here in Kuala Lumpur for one month only. Malaysian DIVE, or fans of K-pop girl group IVE, can dive into a collection of merch that’s part of the PLAY LINE FRIENDS pop-up at Fahrenheit88.
Find acrylic keychains, minive minini plushies, photo-holder keyrings, photocard sets, and more at the store. To sweeten things for fans, shoppers who spend more than RM160 in a single receipt will get to receive a free random photocard of the group.
Admission: Free
Venue: Atrium, Fahrenheit88, Kuala Lumpur
Date: 29th August to 29th September 2024
Time: 10am-10pm
18. Happy Fun Park
Now till 22nd September
Image credit: @miszb3rry86 via Instagram
You can never get too old for a trip to a fun fair – haunted houses and roller coasters aren’t just for the kiddos, after all. From now till 22nd September, Happy Fun Park is welcoming visitors of all ages to their location at Sanctuary Mall.
Image credit: @miszb3rry86 via Instagram
The rides here range from carnival games and a Ferris Wheel, to more thrilling ones such as bumper cars and a haunted house. Entry to the fun fair is free, but tokens to ride the attractions costs between RM2-RM10.
Admission: Free
Venue: Carpark next to Sanctuary Mall, Klang
Date: 10th August to 22nd September 2024
Time: 7.30pm-12am
Contact: Happy Fun Park Facebook
19. Twilight @ REXPERIENCE
From 15th August
Image credit: @darwisyahkhair via Instagram
Discover Twilight, the latest marvel in a series of rotating exhibitions that blend time and emotion through stunning artistic displays at KL’s REXPERIENCE.
This season’s showing includes an immersive experience of Hanya Batik with visuals by Arif Rafhan, Geometry of Emotions which explores human emotions through geometric and organic forms, and Escape that let’s visitors experience a stunning audiovisual performance.
Admission: RM40/adult | RM20/child below 12 years
Venue: REXPERIENCE, REXKL, Kuala Lumpur
Date: From 15th August onwards
Time: 10am-10pm
Contact: REXKL’s Instagram
Find things to do in KL, Selangor and Putrajaya this weekend
If you’re running out of things to do in Klang Valley this weekend, you’ll want to bookmark this weekly guide. There’s something for every kind of weekender – food, art, music, and more.
Cover image adapted from: Asian Film Awards Academy, Friedchillies via Facebook, Cloud Joi