Hari Raya Aidilfitri — Penang's Biggest Muslim Celebration

Hari Raya Aidilfitri (also known as Eid al-Fitr) marks the end of Ramadan and is Malaysia's most widely celebrated public holiday. In Penang, the festival transforms the island: the Chinese majority city fills with the sounds of the Eid prayer from dozens of mosques, the Kapitan Keling Mosque on Pitt Street holds a major congregation, and the tradition of 'open house' sees Muslim families opening their homes to neighbours of all races. Penang's open house tradition is particularly famous — it is considered normal for Chinese, Indian, and other non-Muslim friends to visit Muslim homes to eat rendang, lemang, ketupat, and kuih. The Penang Chief Minister typically hosts a large public open house at the Dewan Sri Pinang convention centre. Hari Raya lasts 30 days officially, but the main celebrations are in the first two weeks. Shopping malls and streets are decorated with ketupat and lights for weeks. Ramadan ends and Raya begins when the crescent moon is sighted, making the exact date variable by 1–2 days. In 2026 Hari Raya Aidilfitri falls approximately March 31 – April 1.