Penang Coffee Festival 2026: A Weekend at Sunshine Central
Penang Coffee Festival 2026 took over Sunshine Central from 14 to 16 August, and the energy across the three days made it clear how far the local coffee scene has grown. Organised by the Penang Specialty Coffee Society (PSCS), the festival brought together 40 vendors from across Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, and Kelantan, alongside guests from Indonesia and Thailand. For a state-level event to pull in that kind of regional and international reach says a lot about where Penang now sits on the coffee map.
Lighthouse Coffee Roastery & Academy joined as a vendor this year, setting up alongside the other booths to pour for the crowd and connect with fellow coffee professionals and enthusiasts passing through. Beyond our own booth, we also stepped in as the official machine sponsor for one of the festival’s headline events: the PSCS Latte Art Throwdown Championship 2026, supplying the El Rocio Manus S for competitors to work with throughout the competition.
The Throwdown itself drew 32 competitors battling it out in verse mode, a fast-paced, head-to-head format that had the crowd leaning in for every pour. Ong Zhen Yi took the champion title, with Ooi Zhi Yuen finishing as first runner-up. It was a strong showing from the latte art community, and a reminder of how much skill is quietly building in Penang’s bar scene.
The Throwdown wasn’t the only competition running across the weekend. The PSCS Cup Tasters Championship 2026 put competitors’ palates to the test, while the Malaysia Aeropress Championship 2026 – Northern Region brought a different crowd altogether, chasing the perfect cup through one of the most accessible brewing methods around. Between the three competitions, the festival had something for nearly every corner of the coffee community, from bar skills to sensory precision to home brewing.
Away from the competition floor, MONIN Malaysia hosted a mixology session led by Andrew, mixing coffee with syrups and techniques from the world of cocktails. It was a good reminder that coffee doesn’t have to stay in its usual lane. The festival also welcomed YB Steven Sim, who dropped by to see the festival for himself and meet the vendors and organizers behind it.
Three days, dozens of vendors, and a packed programme of competitions and tastings made Penang Coffee Festival 2026 one of the more memorable editions yet. A big thank you to PSCS for organising, to every vendor who traveled in to be part of it, and to everyone who came through Sunshine Central to support. We’re already looking forward to next year.
Related Links
See more festival moments on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcJQmtYv2Sv/?igsi=c2gydzM0cGx5Zmhk
https://www.instagram.com/p/DcdJlDvj118/?igsi=MnBiemthN3huaWg2
Check out El Rocio Manus S espresso machine