While we will miss the long weekend that came our way last month, the train’s moving along, and this month is set to be a whirlwind. With only one public holiday for this whole month, we think it’s still important that you keep up with things to do in KL and PJ in October 2024. After all, it’s only right that you cut away some time to yourself.
Though we’re lacking the celebrity presence this month—au revoir, Bruno Mars, Malaysians will miss you too—that doesn’t mean that the stages in Klang Valley will remain empty. Actually, the whole city is coming to life, and that’s mainly thanks to the Kreatif KL Festival, which has been going on since last month. Bringing together Malaysia’s army of creatives to the forefront, the initiative features over 100 events that celebrate the community and culture in Downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Ranging from fashion exhibitions to culinary delights, to art installations peppered around the city, the festival is a sight to behold. While it may have been already a month since its debut, the festival is still in full-throttle. Keep reading to see how you can take part in this three-month-long festival in October.
Aside from that, the local performance art scene continues to serve up unmissable shows for the audience to lap up, so be sure to check out the full listing, and bookmark it for future updates.
Things to do in KL and PJ in October 2024
Teater Muzikal Puteri Hang Li Po
The first highlight this month is going to take you beyond Klang Valley. Head south to Melaka for a truly singular theatrical experience at the biggest theatre in Southeast Asia. Organised by Istana Budaya (Palace of Culture), Teater Muzikal Puteri Hang Li Po follows the journey of the legendary princess of the Ming dynasty, Hang Li Po, as she travels from her homeland to Melaka to marry the Malaccan Sultan Mansur Shah at her father’s behest. Leaving her lover in China, the princess is determined to not have the wedding come to fruition.
Date: 3 to 6 October 2024
Address: Encore Melaka, Impression City, No. 3, Jalan KSB, Kota Syahbandar, 75200 Melaka
Price: from RM48 to RM 158
Nomad by Wong Xiang Yi
Making her debut at The Back Room, Malaysian artist Wong Xiang Yi welcomes the audience to her seventh solo exhibition that features her delicate paintings of “beautiful boy” in a continuation of her exploration of the archetype over the past four years. Passionate about the matters of gender, the Hong Kong-trained ink painter expresses her appreciation of Japanese manga and BL (Boy’s Love) through her works, including this one. This showcase consists of 11 new paintings, where the androgynous “chibi”-like character wanders through a smokey canvas in languid poses.
Entrance is free.
Date: 22 September to 13 October 2024
Address: The Back Room, The Zhongshan Building, 80a Jalan Rotan, 50460 Kuala Lumpur
Magical 30 – A Malaysian Musical Journey
‘High-octane’ doesn’t even begin to cover this 11-day-long show. In this spectacular performance, you will be wowed by a grand song and dance arrangement that includes 30 songs in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, Tamil, and Korean, as well as songs from Sabah and Sarawak. With a truly Malaysian cast, the showrunners promise an exhilarating experience—one to remember, definitely. If you’ve been a patron of the arts, consider this a homage to you, as it celebrates the award-winning production company’s 30-year musical journey.
Date: 10 to 20 October 2024
Address: PJPAC, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Second Floor, 1 Utama E, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya
Price: from RM60 to RM288
Nobuyuki Tsujii Plays Rachmaninoff
A great pianist is already a sight to behold, but what Nobuyuki Tsujii has achieved is a feat in its own right. The acclaimed blind Japanese pianist and composer learns strictly by ear, and started his formal training at the age of four, giving his first recital at 12 years old. Tsujii will mark his debut at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra this month, kicking off the performance with Rachmaninoff’s near-impossible “Piano Concerto No. 3.” Following that are Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty: Waltz” and Prokofiev’s “Symphony No. 7.” If you’re a fan of classical concerts, this is one of the events in KL and PJ in October 2024 that you can’t miss.
Date: 12 October 2024
Address: Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Petronas Twin Towers, 50088, Kuala Lumpur
Price: from RM258 to RM518
VibesKL
In a tribute to the culture-rich city that is Kuala Lumpur, Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (the Malaysian Institute of Architects) is set to launch the festivities with a live painting performance by Dr Jalaini Abu Hassan (also known as Jai), which promises to be a fantastic show to catch. Open to the public, photographers, illustrators, architects, and many other artists join hands to fill the exhibition with creations to immerse the audience into the human spirit behind their work.
Entrance is free.
Date: 28 September to 30 November 2024
Address: PAM Centre, 99L, Jalan Tandok, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
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