[Photos] Ipoh Just Threw Malaysia’s Most Legendary Street Party

This heritage appreciation and prosperity reunion dinner brought together more than 800 diners at 136 tables arranged down the middle of the historical Jalan Bijeh Timah, reviving the disappearing tradition of “流水席” (flowing water banquet) – old-school street celebrations.

Fernando Fong

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.

Last Monday (23 February), while most of Malaysia was still recovering from Chinese New Year festivities, something absolutely magical happened on a quiet heritage street in Ipoh.

Jalan Bijeh Timah got completely transformed into what can only be described as the country’s most epic outdoor dinner party – and if you weren’t there, you seriously missed out.

The 8th annual “马喜霸” (Ma Xi Ba) Grand Feast went off without a hitch on Monday (23 February), turning Ipoh’s Old Town into a scene straight out of a cultural celebration fever dream.

The clever name itself is a playful pun on Malaysia’s beloved “Muhibbah” spirit of unity – because nothing says harmony like nearly a thousand people sharing amazing food in the middle of a heritage street.

Picture this: 136 tables arranged in perfect rows down the middle of the historic tin mining street, red tablecloths stretching as far as the eye can see, and nearly a thousand people having the absolute time of their lives.

They had over 1,000 people, including performers and crew, the organisers revealed.

The highlight was bringing back the disappearing tradition of liu shui xi – the flowing water banquet – which represents the old-school way of celebrating right there on the street.

A breathtaking elevated view of the feast in full swing, showcasing the remarkable organisation and scale that have made this event legendary for nearly a decade. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Traditional dragon and lion dance performances bring explosive cultural energy, with vibrant green dragons and spectacular lions creating magical moments. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

A stunning aerial view captures the full magnitude of the feast, with nearly 1,000 guests seated at red tables that stretch along Jalan Bijeh Timah – transforming Ipoh’s heritage street into a sea of red chairs and festive lights, flanked by the colourful facades of historic shophouses that have witnessed eight years of this beloved community celebration. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Guests flash victory signs and beam with joy as vibrant dragon and lion dances weave through the crowd, creating moments of pure celebration that define the feast experience. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

The colourful lion heads – some with rarely seen bluish purple manes – and ornate decorations bring ancient customs to life, creating personal moments of connection that bridge generations and cultures in Ipoh’s heritage district. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

An elaborate lou sang (yee sang) setup spreads across the street, featuring colourful arrangements of shredded vegetables, fruits, and garnishes arranged to form the Chinese character for “horse” (馬) in celebration of the Year of the Horse, creating a spectacular display that will be tossed together in the traditional prosperity ritual. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

An aerial view of Ipoh Old Town at dusk, with the historic streets illuminated below the backdrop of the majestic Kledang Range hills that define the city’s skyline. This bird’s-eye perspective shows the urban tapestry where the feast takes place. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

The joyous chaos of the feast is in full swing, with guests raising their glasses in celebration as a vibrant dragon dance weaves through the crowd. This ground-level view captures the infectious energy that made the event special, with traditional performances, flowing drinks, and genuine laughter. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

The event drew some local heavyweight attendees, including **Perak State Executive Councillor Loh Sze Yee**, **Perak Chinese Assembly Hall President Datuk Kwan Foh Kwai**, Ipoh City Councillor Wong Kar Keat, and various other community leaders who clearly knew where the real party was happening. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Two friends share a moment of pure joy and laughter at the feast, embodying the spirit of ‘人日’ (Human Day); their genuine happiness captures what made the street party so special. (Pix: Fernando Fong)

Food That Actually Meant Something

This wasn’t your typical catered event.

The feast featured eight courses of traditional New Year dishes representing the different Chinese dialect groups that built Ipoh’s heritage:

“人人齐捞生” – the mandatory prosperity toss that had everyone standing with chopsticks
Fujian pork belly with flower buns
Cantonese-style soy sauce prawns
Hakka mom’s salted chicken
Teochew spring rolls
Hainanese coconut fried rice
Cantonese peanut sesame dates
Traditional reunion dessert soup

Plus vegetarian options because this is Malaysia, and everyone gets fed.

Meanwhile, the entertainment lineup was absolutely stacked: dragon dances, lion dances, Indian dance, traditional horse dance, Cantonese opera, ancient Chinese instruments (guzheng and erhu), singing performances, flag dancing, family drumming sessions, and a fireworks finale that probably had the entire neighbourhood wondering what the hell was happening.

But the real magic? Watching overseas visitors, foreign tourists, and most importantly, the “游子” (wanderers) – young locals who’ve moved to big cities – all coming home for this one night.

@tasteeipoh 怡保一年一度的马喜霸大长宴开席啦！这场于人日初七在旧街场锡米巷举办的大长宴筵开136席~大家一边享用8道不同籍贯的年菜，一边观赏精彩的舞龙舞狮、骑马舞与宝莱坞印度舞、传统歌唱舞蹈及乐器演奏等等，看得尽兴又吃得开心! #怡保口盏鬼 #ipohperak #大长宴 #初七 #马年 ♬ 原声 – Tastee Ipoh

When Heritage Becomes Everyone’s Celebration

What happened Monday night was bigger than just a community feast – in a country where different ethnic groups don’t always find reasons to celebrate together, this street party proved something important about the Malaysian “Muhibbah” spirit.

The organisers wanted more people to understand the true essence of ‘人日’ (Human Day), the 7th day of the Chinese New Year, when it’s traditionally considered everyone’s birthday, and the fact that this year’s celebration had to be adjusted for Ramadan only made the message stronger.

Eight years running, even through pandemic lockdowns, this street party has become a cultural institution where the Pertubuhan Warisan Bandar Timah Ipoh Perak has created something that’s part family reunion, part cultural preservation project, part massive block party.

The organiser hopes this brings ‘冲喜’ (good fortune) and positive energy to the community.

If you missed Monday night’s festivities, you missed witnessing something pretty special – nearly a thousand people proving that the best parties happen when communities decide to celebrate their heritage right there in the street.

Mark your calendars for next year, as this is one Malaysian tradition that’s clearly not going anywhere.

The damage: RM100 per person.