Autumn Festival Calendar

Autumn Festival Calendar — September to November Annual Highlights

Planning an autumn festival trip is much easier when you start with the calendar rather than a simple checklist. Between September and November each year, Korea celebrates Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), National Foundation Day (October 3), and Hangeul Day (October 9), with regional festivals clustering heavily around these public holidays. This page is our definitive annual autumn festival guide, updated regularly at this URL. The schedules below reflect official announcements for 2026, and events that have concluded are moved to the "Past Festivals" table at the bottom.

The Rhythm of Autumn: What to Expect Each Month

Looking at the 2026 calendar, the Chuseok holiday runs September 24–27, National Foundation Day falls on Saturday, October 3, and Hangeul Day falls on Friday, October 9, creating a three-day holiday weekend from October 9–11. Detailed travel itineraries tailored to these long weekends are covered in our guides to October Getaways and Late Autumn in November.

October 2026 Festival Schedule

The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival opens on the first day of the National Foundation Day weekend and runs for 16 days through October 18, spanning the Hangeul Day holiday weekend. The lanterns are illuminated daily from 6:00 PM until midnight. Holiday weekends draw the largest crowds, so visiting on a weekday evening will offer a much more relaxed experience. Celebrating the centennial of Hangeul Day's designation, the Sejong Hangeul Festival features a Black Eagles aerobatic flight at noon on October 9, a 2,000-drone performance at 8:40 PM, and a pyrotechnic drone show on the evening of October 10; parking capacity has been expanded to around 4,500 spaces across 14 lots. The Icheon Rice Cultural Festival has relocated to the Bokhacheon Stream Riverside Park this year and serves freshly harvested rice cooked in giant traditional cauldrons (gamasot) for 2,000 KRW. For the Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival, KTX-Eum high-speed trains will make temporary stops at Punggi Station from October 9–11. Hands-on experience programs for the Yangyang Pine Mushroom & Salmon Festival open for advance reservations on September 28. The Gochang Moyangseongje Festival peaks in attendance over the weekend, spotlighted by a 1,000-drone light show on the evening of October 16 and a Black Eagles airshow on the afternoon of October 17. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Ganggyeong Fermented Seafood Festival has recreated the historic Ganggyeong market with the newly introduced Ganggyeong Port Marketplace. At Gwacheon's LetsRun Park Seoul Autumn Festival, events align with horse racing days, meaning the festival takes a hiatus from October 6–8.

November 2026 Festival & Event Schedule

In November, major regional festivals wind down substantially, making way for autumn foliage, fireworks, and dazzling light displays, with chrysanthemum festivals bridging the seasons. Because Iksan's festival closes on November 1 while Masan's begins on October 31, the weekend of October 31–November 1 is the only chance to catch both. On November 7, the Busan Fireworks Festival takes place during the Masan Chrysanthemum Festival run, allowing travelers to combine Gyeongnam and Busan into a single seamless itinerary. Official 2026 dates for the Seoul Lantern Festival will be updated in the table once announced.

Nature’s Timing: Autumn Foliage & Silver Grass

At Mt. Seoraksan, the first autumn leaves were spotted around Daecheongbong Peak on September 28 (on par with historical averages). The Korea Forest Service forecasts peak autumn foliage for 2026 around October 20 for Seoraksan, October 28 for Songnisan, November 4 for Naejangsan, and November 6 for Hallasan. Ginkgo trees are expected to peak around October 30, and maple species around October 31. Silver grass and pink muhly reach their prime fullness throughout October. For top landscape viewing locations, see our guides to Autumn Foliage Spots and Silver Grass & Pink Muhly Spots. Campus festival schedules are detailed in Autumn University Festivals.

How to Choose by Festival Type

• Light & Fire — Floating lantern and fireworks festivals. The main spectacle begins after sunset.
• Harvest & Agriculture — Horizon festivals, regional culinary celebrations like Hanwoo beef and pine mushrooms. Ideal for family-friendly, hands-on activities.
• Heritage & Performing Arts — Mask dance festivals, Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival. Always check the performance schedule in advance to make the most of your trip.
• Floral Displays — Chrysanthemum festivals. Best experienced by pairing daytime flower exhibitions with evening illuminations and fireworks.
• Scenic Landscapes — Silver grass and fall foliage. Timing the peak color and bloom matters far more than fixed calendar dates.

Parking for evening festivals is typically situated in temporary lots away from the main grounds, connected by shuttle buses. Be sure to check the last shuttle departure time, as it can occasionally run earlier than the event wraps up. Starting in mid-October, nighttime temperatures frequently dip into single digits Celsius, so pack warm layers.

How to Check Unconfirmed Festival Dates

Many regional festivals finalize and post their schedules only one to two months before the event. Relying on last year's calendar can easily disrupt your plans. The most reliable sources are the culture and tourism portals of the hosting local government and the festival’s official website, followed by their official social media channels. If you need to secure accommodations early, book refundable rooms that allow free cancellation until the dates are confirmed.

Past Festivals — September & October 2026

Verified Sources

• Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival Official: https://yudeung.com/
• Jinju Signature Festival Dates Confirmation News: https://v.daum.net/v/20260730120506711
• Andong Maskdance Festival Opening News: https://www.ajunews.com/view/20260920021400158
• Gimje Horizon Festival Official: https://festival.gimje.go.kr/
• Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival Schedule News: https://www.youcandonews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=20263
• Hoengseong Hanwoo Festival Schedule News: https://www.gukjenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3707073
• Yangyang Pine Mushroom & Salmon Festival Advance Reservation News: https://www.gnnnews.kr/201047
• Myeongseongsan Silver Grass Festival Schedule News: https://view.asiae.co.kr/article/2026072209583212206
• Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival (VisitKorea): https://korean.visitkorea.or.kr/kfes/detail/fstvlDetail.do?fstvlCntntsId=ce41cc99-42cf-4556-a3cf-f593b2736ab4
• Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival Opening News: https://www.viva100.com/article/20260928500580
• Sejong Hangeul Festival Schedule & Parking (OhmyNews): https://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0003271844
• 2026 Hangeul Week (Newspim 2026-10-02): https://www.newspim.com/news/view/20261002000056
• Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival (Hankook Ilbo): https://daily.hankooki.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1411322
• Icheon Rice Cultural Festival Official Schedule: https://www.ricefestival.or.kr/program/program.php?sp=schedule
• Gangneung Coffee Festival & Gwangju Memory Chungjang Festival Schedule (Sukbak Magazine): https://www.sukbakmagazine.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=69578
• Busan Fireworks Festival Official Overview: https://busanfireworks.com/bbs/content.php?co_id=overview
• Seoul International Fireworks Festival Schedule (Hangang Park): https://hangang.seoul.go.kr/www/eventMng/detail.do?evntSn=454&mid=538&srchType=list
• Korea Forest Service 2026 Peak Foliage Forecast News: https://www.youngnong.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=70540

Last verified: 2026-10-06