The kuching Christmas Parade is back again this year with a title “A Heart-warming Christmas” ! Christians from different churches in Kuching will be on board the parade to spread the Good News around the city. As usual the 4 KM route starts from MBKS Jubilee Ground to Kuching Waterfront then back to the MBKS Jubilee Ground. There are more than 5,000 participants for the Christmas parade.
Preparation for Kuching Christmas Parade 2023.
Event : Kuching City Annual Christmas Parade 2023
Theme : A Heart-warming Christmas/‘Kehangatan Natal di Hatiku’/‘圣诞暖我心’
Date : 2rd December 2023 (Saturday)
Assembly Time : 6.00 pm at MBKS Jubilee Ground
Organized by : Association of Churches Sarawak (ACS) and Sarawak Evangelical Christian Association (SECA)
Main Host Church : Methodist Church SCAC
Activities : Praise and Worship, Caroling, Parade, Christmas Floats, Musical Band march, distribution of gifts at 8.15PM .
The Full event Video for Kuching City Parade 2023
We have visited several past Kuching City Christmas Parade.
Kuching Christmas Parade 2023 Route
The 4KM parade route takes everyone along various churches, landmarks and major tourist attractions in Downtown Kuching. There are also many hotels and inns along the route with many international visitors.
Along the route
- Starting from Jubilee Sports Ground towards Jalan Padungan
- Jalan Padungan Roundabout (HSBC Roundabout)
- White Cat statue of Kuching City
- Kuching Chinatown Gate
- Jalan Padungan Old Shophouses
- Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (Waterfront)
- Tun Jugah Shopping Center
- Cats statue in front of Grand Margherita
- Riverside Majestic & Riverside Shopping Complex
- Hilton Kuching
- Lebuh Temple (Temple Street)
- Tua Pek Kong Temple Kuching
- Harbour View Hotel Kuching
- Lebuh Wayang (Wayang Street)
- Star Cineplex
- Jalan Tabuan
- SMK St Mary
- Borneo Hotel
- Jalan Ban Hock
- Grand Continental Hotel Kuching
- Lot 10 Boutique Hotel
- Lorong Central Timur 3
- Back to Jubilee Sports Ground car park
Church Stations
There is several Church Stations along the parade route:
- Roman Catholic Church : Padungan
- Sarawak Baptist Church : Tun Jugah / Top Spot
- BEM (SIB) Church : Reverside Shopping Mall
- Anglican Church : Kuching Hilton / Waterfront
- Seventh-Day Adventist Church / Salvation Army : Medan Pelita/ Borneo Hotel Kuching
- Methodist Church in Kuching / Methodist SIAC : Ban Hock Road
- Sarawak Evangelical Christian Association / Blessed Church : MBKS Flat
Participating Churches
- Roman Catholic Church
- Anglican Church
- Methodist Church SCAC
- Methodist Church SIAC
- BEM (SIB) Church
- Seventh-Day Adventist Church
- The Salvation Army
- Sarawak Baptist Church
- Sarawak Blessed Church
- City Harvest Church
- Hope Church Kuching
- Gereja Grace Sentral AG
- GIS Gospel Harvest Church
- Christ Baptist Church
Parade order by group
In the stadium there are four main group form by members from different churches. The grouping is done to ensure the parade all are in properly order. Each team will be lead by a signage holder.
GROUP A: Methodist Church East & English District.
- Chin Daw BB Band (7th Company Kuching)
- Chin Daw Methodist Church 古晋卫理公会晋道堂
- Samarahan Methodist Centre 三马拉汉卫理中心
- Uni-Central Methodist Church 卫理公会城中城堂
- Chin Ong Methodist Church 晋恩堂
- Samarindah Methodist Church 沙玛丽达布道处
- Chin Seng Methodist Church 晋圣堂
- Chin Kwong BB Band (6th Company Kuching)
- Chin Kwong Methodist Church 晋光堂
- Pusat Penginjilan Methodist Pending
- Faith Methodist Church 信心堂
- Tabuan Trinity Methodist Church 达闽三一堂
GROUP B: Methodist Kuching
- Trinity Methodist BB Band (2nd Company Kuching)
- Trinity Methodist Church 三一堂
- Sinyawan Methodist Church 新尧湾堂
- Lundu Methodist Church 伦乐布道处
- Bau Methodist Church 盘石堂
- Sungai Maong Methodist Church 蒙恩堂
- Zhu Eng Methodist Church 主恩堂
- 10th mile Methodist Church 宣道堂
- Chin Fu BB Band (8th Company Kuching)
- Chin Fu Methodist Church 晋福堂
- Matang Methodist Church 马当堂
- Malihah Methodist Church 玛丽哈堂
- Kuching Citymall Methodist Church 城恩堂
- Sentosa Methodist Church 圣淘沙堂
GROUP C : ACS
- Roman Catholic Church
- Salvation Army
- Methodist SIAC
- BEM / SIB Church
- Seventh-Day Adventist Church
- St Thomas BB Band (1st Company Kuching)
- Anglican Church
- Sarawak Baptist Church
GROUP D : Blessed Church and SECA
- City Harvest Church (SECA)
- Hope Church Kuching (SECA)
- Gereja Grace Sentral AG (SECA)
- Gospel Harvest Kuching (SECA)
- Chirst Baptist Church (SECA)
- Sarawak Blessed Church 砂拉越蒙福教会
Parking Plans
Major event like this will cause expected traffic detour and blockage. It is important to plan ahead in where to park your vehicles.
The parking available for parade participant are located in front of the Jubilee Sports Ground, car park around the MBKS building, car park beside the MBKS swimming pool & Sarawak Hockey Stadium, and SRK Lumba Kuda’s car park. Alternatively there are also parking beside the Kuching Chinatown Gate, behind Prudential Assurance Malaysia (Kuching) and in front of HSBC Bank.
As for visitors, there are many available beside shoplots and shopping malls. However do ensure that your vehicle do not obstruct the traffic and park responsibly.
Alternatively you can choose to use public transport and e-hailing transport.
Latitude : 1.5503850675605675
Longitude : 110.36105632781982
Open map with : [Waze] [Google Map] [Bing Map] [HERE Map]
Things to bring
Always be prepared before you go for any major event. Things to bring before going for a parade :
- Ample amount of water, keep well hydrated.
- Comfortable and acceptable attire .
- Portable battery banks for your mobile devices and portable USB fans.
- Umbrella – It is a monsoon season in November-December with chances of heavy downpour.
- White Candle with DIY wind shield with clear plastic bottle .
- Light sticks, balloons, banner, display cards, musical instrument etc.
- Christmas gift to be given away during parade.
Preparation of the Kuching Christmas Parade 2023
People participating in the parade arrived in the stadium as early as 4pm.
Year end in Kuching City is mostly a rainy season with anticipating of daily rains. Hence without hesitation, everyone is ready with their rain coats and umbrella. The air is cool in the evening with occasional cool breeze. The sky is cloudy with chances of rainfall.
The brigades band having early preparation at the stadium.
Brass bands from various boys and girls brigades are ready with their uniform and instruments. There are several chapter of brigades are involve in the parade.
Having a light meal before the events.
Brigades gather based on company to listen to instruction for the event.
By 5.30pm, the stadium is slowly packed up with crowds and everyone is anxiously waiting for the event to start. There is allocated location for members of different churches to gather in the running track of the stadium.
Preparation of the decoration ornaments and balloons for the parade.
Everyone is gathering at the stadium according to their representing churches.
Everyone is gathering at the stadium according to their representing churches.
The arrival of parade member to the stadium during the preparation of the parade.
Trinity methodist church gathering.
Resting before the event.
The Anglican church members.
The Sarawak baptist church members.
The Methodist church members.
The girls brigade members.
The stadium is slowly filled with parade participants from various churches.
More and more parade participants arrived at the stadium in the evening.
Final preparation for the event and the stadium runway is filled with participant for the parade.
The Kuching Christmas Parade 2023 Assembly Service
Before the official starting of the Kuching City Christmas Parade, there is assembly service where pastor from different churches will gather on the stage for the service.
The whole service is run in multiple different language, in keeping with the unity in diversity spirit of Sarawak. Language used including English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia, and Iban.
The Agenda of the Assembly Service includes :
- Apostle’s Creed
- Singing Hymn – “Hari Ini”
- Opening Prayer – by Most Rev Archbishop Simon Poh, Roman Catholic Church
- Scripture Reading 1 – Gospel of John 1:1-4 (in English) Captain Cathy Aloba, The Salvation Army
- Scripture Reading 2 – Romans 1:18-21 (in Iban) Rev Roselind Ijah Jugo, Methodist SIAC
- Scripture Reading 3 – Gospel of John 1:9-12 (in English) Bro. Tommy Ong, Sarawak Baptist Church
- Scripture Reading 4 – Gospel of John 3:16-18 (in Bahasa Malaysia) Pr Eric Saniav Balachandar , Seventh-Day Adventist Church
- Pray for Kuching & Sarawak- by Pr. Abel Vincent, Sarawak Evangelical Christian Association
- Scripture Reading 5 – Romans 10:9-10 (in Chinese) Geoff David Koh, Sarawak Blessed Church
- Scripture Reading 6 – Revelation 3:19-22 (in BM) Pr. John Para, BEM Church
- Pray for Malaysia – by Pr. Greman Ujang Slat, Sarawak Evangelical Christian Association
- Singing Hymn – O Holy Night
- Benediction – by Most Rev Archbishop Simon Poh, Roman Catholic Church
- Commencement of Parade and Offering Collection
The opening prayer by Most Rev Archbishop Simon Poh.
The Kuching Christmas Parade 2023
After the Assembly Service, the Kuching Christmas Parade 2023 officially being commenced. The parade is lead by leaders from various churches, with the parade banner and brass band team in front. Everyone exit orderly from the stadium to the parade path along the Kuching City roads.
All the leaders of the churches, pastors and arch bishop gather together at the stadium before the start of the parade.
The kuching Christmas Parade light up signage.
Everyone march out of the stadium with a smile on their face.
Every church have different style of parade with some church members carry colorful balloons.
The colorful balloon makes the event lively.
The Christmas parade involves members of all ages and parents even bring their young kids to participate the wonderful Christmas parade.
Some of the church members holding LED light sticks during the parade.
Each team is lead by the signage holder and guided by the marshal of the parade. Some of the church have accompany decorated floats. By 8:15pm, all parade members will be giving the general public presents and small gifts to signify the spreading of good news and giving hope to the public. Many of the city folks gathering around the city roads together with their family and kids. It is a heart warming parade.
Each church have different ways to express the meaning of Christmas. Some wearing nice costumes and decorative ornaments, some singing along the parade. Each decorated floats also being designed differently with much creativity and it adds to the colorful picture to the whole parade.
Everyone is happy joining the Christmas parade.
General public watching the brass band team performance during the parade along the city streets.
Marching in the city roads.
The Noah’s Ark decorated float.
The boy’s brigade marching.
Marching in the city roads.
Marching towards the beautiful light up gateway of Kuching city.
The parade in the Kuching city.
The mascot of the brigade team marching on the city streets.
The girls brigade members holding the decorated umbrella with colorful LED lights.
The crowd happily lined along the road and cheering as the parade goes on.
Wave and smile, wishing everyone merry Christmas.
The marching brigade band performance.
Young members joining the parade with bright vest.
Decorated floats with Santa clause and angel sledge.
Decorated floats with Christmas trees and the cross.
The colorful flag marching.
Wave and smile and everyone is happy with merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Singing hymn on the decorated floats.
Singing hymn on the decorated floats.
Church members holding colorful LED lit umbrella.
The sounding of the horns.
The Kuching Christmas Parade goes on till 10pm until everyone complete the journey. The Parade is a yearly event in Kuching City. If you had missed this event, you can always come back and witness the parade of the following year. We welcome you with a warm heart and hope to see you in the next event.
