Kaleidoscope of Memoirs: Moments Stitched in Time (Georgetown Festival)

Every journey begins with a spark, and ours began with a little card, a few stamps, and a dream to bring smiles across Penang. This year, as part of the George Town Festival, stamp hunters are to join Kakpoot for a Stamp Rally adventure, a trail through markets, heritage sites, and pockets of magic across the island and beyond. What made it even more special was seeing how art could travel, not just through ink and paper, but through people. From curious travellers to familiar faces, everyone became part of this shared story.

📍 Stamp Stop 1: Macam Macam Berapit: A Burst of Local Joy

The adventure began across the bridge at Berapit Public Market on the mainland. Wow, even Penang island folks made the journey there just to collect the very first stamp. The first station, Macam Macam Berapit, was filled with local charm, from friendly vendors to curious visitors holding their stamp cards with eager smiles. It was a heartwarming reminder that art truly belongs to everyone. It all started with a simple doodle and a humble prayer.

📍 Stamp Stop 2: After Dusk Market: The Official Opening of George Town Festival

We dashed straight from the airport to Padang Kota Lama (Esplanade), just in time for the grand Opening Ceremony of the George Town Festival. The iconic City Hall stood proudly, illuminated in golden light against the night sky. Wearing that lanyard labeled “Artist” with pride, we felt truly grateful for the opportunity to share our passion and creativity with the community of Penang.  Sitting among leaders and creators, watching the lights dance across the colonial facade was surreal. Thank you to the organizers and our Penang State Government for making this celebration of art possible.

The opening weekend was nothing short of magical. The air was filled with high energy, lively music, awesome performances, and we were thrilled to be part of it. Our Elsiewithlove Pop-Up Store at the After Dusk Market was brimming with stickers, postcards, and our Special Edition City Hall postcard and sticker, made just for this event.

The 2nd Station of our George Town Festival × Elsiewithlove Stamp Rally was a success! The postcards were redeemed so quickly, and our booth was always buzzing with excitement. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hi, share stories, and collect your stamps. You definitely made our weekend extra special.

📍 Stamp Stop 3: Bedtime Stories: Beneath the Stars at Taman Kejiranan Desa Mawar, Ayer Itam

It was a A Storybook Evening and a Puppet Night. As the stars twinkled above, puppets danced and characters from storybooks came alive.

As twilight settled over Taman Kejiranan Desa Mawar, families from around the neighbourhood gathered with their little ones, ready for a fun story telling and stamping night. It truly felt like the whole neighbourhood had stepped right into the pages of a storybook. The Stamp Rally also continued that night. With stamp cards in hand, one stamp at a time, they collected not just ink marks, but memories to bring home. The Stamp Rally continued under the stars, where every visitor became part of the story. Each stamp held a spark of joy, a tiny treasure waiting to be discovered.

📍 Stamp Stop 4: IMMERSIO Building: Where Stories Echoed

Inside the atmospheric halls of Bangunan UAB, IMMERSIOx transformed the space into a world of lights and imagination. The interactive installations and projection-mapping works turned walls into moving stories where colours danced, shadows shifted, and every corner glowed with creativity.

Visitors wandered through the displays in quiet awe, some pausing to take in the beauty, others smiling as the lights played across their faces. It was as if the building itself came to live.

📍 Stamp Stop 5: Cheah Kongsi: The Historic Heart of Heritage

The final chapter was set in the most enchanting location, Cheah Kongsi. The heritage beauty of Cheah Kongsi truly is a perfect ending to our stamp rally journey. Even as rain gently fell, so many of you still showed up to collect your final stamps. We were truly touched by your support and spirit.

And of course, our Elsiewithlove team also proudly completed our own Stamp Rally journey, collecting every single stamp as a keepsake of this beautiful adventure. We loved following everyone from stop to stop, meeting new faces and reconnecting with familiar ones along the way.

It was heartwarming to see fellow stamp hunters proudly holding up their completed cards, smiles wide and spirits high. The satisfaction, not just from finishing the collection, but from knowing we’d all shared this experience together.

📍 Special Stamp: A Traveling Mark of Joy

There was a special edition stamp, a delightful surprise carried by the GTF crew themselves as they journeyed from one stamp station to another. They brought this little treasure along, adding a touch of magic wherever they went. Each time the special stamp appeared, it drew smiles and excitement. It is a gentle reminder that joy, like art, is meant to be shared and carried forward.

Projects like this remind us how art can unite people and touch lives. Through the Stamp Rally, we watched strangers become friends and memories turn into keepsakes. To our wonderful volunteers, organizers, and everyone who stopped by, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Every memory felt like a stitch in a bigger story, a thread connecting hearts across time and space. Maybe that’s what art really is, little pieces of us, shared and remembered. We’ll carry with us the laughter, the tiny hellos, and the shared smiles at the booth. Each one is a gentle reminder of why we do what we do. And just like that, another memory joins the kaleidoscope, glowing softly and endlessly turning.

Thank you for being part of our story, for walking beside us, and for seeing beauty in the little things. Until the next chapter, may your days be filled with colour, warmth, and the quiet magic of being present in every moment.

~Elsiewithlove