Penang Square Durian Durian Festival

Durian lovers worldwide – don’t miss this durian shabang! This promises to be the biggest durian event in Penang history!

For the first time, Penang Times Square Mall is hosting a durian festival. It started today, so I moseyed over to check it out. Earlier in the week Rob and I walked by Penang Times Square, believing the festival had already started. There was nothing there. But today the pungent odor of fresh cut grass, caramel, and volcanic farts was wafting down the street. I could smell the durians even before I spotted these megalithic fruits marking the mall’s outdoor plaza.

No durians

Durians

I had called the Penang Times Square management office to ask about the durian yoga class that will be held at the festival later this month. I spoke to Corry Lincoln, the organizing manager, who said organizing this festival was very challenging, in part because it took several months to obtain a sponsor and because the durian season is poor this year. When he started inviting farmers in March, only one farmer had any at all on his tree. He was worried there would not be enough durians to make this first-time event successful.

It looked like there were plenty of durians to me. While I was there, a truck laden with spiky balls backed into the parking space under the large tent. There will be six of Penang’s largest durian vendors present, in addition to last year’s winner of the Penang Durian Competition. He is known as the Durian King. Vendors will also sell modern durian confections like cream puffs and cakes as well as more traditional durian concoctions, such as durian fritters and dodol.

A family friendly event, the festival is putting on many
durian-related games and activities, such as a kids coloring contest, a
count the spikes competition (like our count the jelly beans in a jar
competitions), a guess the durian species competition, and even a best
durian snapshot on facebook competition. Winners will be awarded a
variety of prizes, including free tickets on Air Asia. Rob and I are
plotting to win “count the spikes” so we can get a free ticket! Wish us
luck!

I’ve posted the schedule below: