Pesta Pulau Pinang will return this December at a new location, as the former Sungai Nibong grounds make way for the development of the Mutiara Line light rail transit (LRT) and a future transit-oriented development (TOD).

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said this year’s month-long Pesta Pulau Pinang will take place at Padang Menora in Tasek Gelugor from December 1 to 31.

While the new venue is smaller than the traditional Sungai Nibong grounds, Chow said it was suitable for continuing the annual event.

The relocation comes as the Sungai Nibong site is being repurposed for the construction of an LRT station and depot. The state had previously considered several alternative venues before the Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) offered the Padang Menora site.

Despite the move, the state government has decided to retain the Pesta Pulau Pinang name, recognising the event’s long-standing brand built over more than 50 years.

Meanwhile, the former Pesta grounds are being planned for a much larger transformation.

A proposed 23.47-hectare TOD Masterplan aims to turn the Sungai Nibong site into a mixed-use transit hub incorporating residential, commercial and public facilities.

The draft masterplan is being developed through a collaboration involving the Penang state government, Asian Development Bank, MRT Corp and various federal and state agencies, and is expected to be finalised in October.

The large-scale redevelopment is expected to take 10 to 15 years to fully implement, potentially reshaping Sungai Nibong into a more integrated transit and urban development node.

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