Events

Festival & Event Calendar — Korea's Festivals by Date

Here is a chronological guide to festivals and cultural events across South Korea. Alongside regional festivals, this calendar tracks fixed-date happenings like special exhibitions, evening palace openings, ticketed concerts, and urban pop-ups. All listings reflect official 2026 announcements and press releases; concluded events move down to the "Past Events" archive. Click the links in each row for schedules, transit directions, and booking details.

Ongoing and Upcoming Festivals — As of November 9, 2026

With the second weekend of November wrapped up, most autumn flower and silver grass festivals have drawn to a close. The biggest highlight left in November is the Pohang International Fire & Light Festival. Traditionally held in late spring, the event was postponed due to the June local election schedule and will take place this year from November 19 to 21 around Yeongildae Beach and Songdo Pier, with the main International Fireworks Show lighting up the night on Saturday, November 21 (reported by Gyeongbuk Maeil on October 27). The detailed timetable is being published in stages on the Pohang Cultural Foundation Festival Website. On the final weekend of November, the Paju Jangdan Soybean Festival will be held at Imjingak, focusing on direct-from-farm sales of local produce such as soybeans and tofu. For a closer look at smaller regional gatherings like the Goheung Yuja Festival alongside earlier autumn dates, refer to the Autumn Festival Calendar.

Starting in December, dazzling winter light festivals take the spotlight. The Seoul Lantern Festival ran from December 12 through January 18 of the following year during its last edition, but this year's dates have not yet been officially announced. The dates for the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival are provisional listings from the Korea Tourism Organization's festival database; detailed program schedules and admission fees are still to be confirmed.

How to Search by Season

Looking up festival schedules by season rather than specific months is often far more efficient, as announcement windows and planning rhythms vary by time of year.

Spring flower festival dates are dictated by blooming seasons. Even for the same annual festival, dates can shift by a week from year to year, and organizers frequently extend festival periods if blooms peak late. For ticketed summer festivals, ticket launch dates often double as the event announcement, meaning you'll need to catch ticket openings early. Autumn community festivals are typically finalized in bulk by local municipalities during midsummer, occasionally shifting by a week depending on where holidays like Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), National Foundation Day, and Hangeul Day fall. Winter ice festivals rely strictly on freezing temperatures to form solid ice, so opening dates are occasionally pushed back.

We also maintain curated pages grouped by theme. Check out the Busan Fireworks Festival and Seoul International Fireworks Festival for pyrotechnics, Drone Shows for aerial fleet performances, and Halloween Festivals for late-October festivities.

Month-by-Month Festival Highlights

Regional Breakdown

Busan — Kicks off with the Gwangalli Eobang Festival and Busan Port Festival in June, rolls into Pokémon Mega Festa and Waterbomb Busan in July and August, continues with the Busan Biennale from August through November, and culminates with the Busan Fireworks Festival in November. Explore summer plans in our 2026 Busan Summer Travel Guide and general urban tips in Busan.

Gangwon — Highlights include the Gangneung Danoje Festival and Donghae Lavender Festival in June, the Taebaek Sunflower Festival, Gangneung Heritage Night Tour, and Waterbomb Sokcho in July and August, followed by October's Hoengseong Hanwoo Festival, Yangyang Songi & Salmon Festival, and Gangneung Coffee Festival. The silver grass at Mt. Mindungsan in Jeongseon runs throughout autumn. Find local destination guides under Gangwon-do.

Seoul — Features the Seoul Outdoor Library from spring to autumn, the Yeowoorak Festival and Seoul Summer Beach in July, the Seoul International Fireworks Festival in September, Gwanghwamun Hangeul Week events and the Seoul Silver Grass Festival in October, and the Seoul Lantern Festival in December. Browse warm-weather activities in our Seoul Summer Festival Guide.

Chungcheong, Jeolla, & Gyeongsang — Top regional fixtures include Chungnam's Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival, Boryeong Mud Festival, and Ganggyeong Fermented Seafood Festival; the Sejong Hangeul Festival; Jeonbuk's Muju Firefly Festival, Gochang Moyangseong Fortress Festival, and Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival; Jeonnam's Jangheung Water Festival; Gwangju's Chungjang Recalled Memories Festival; Gyeongbuk's Andong Wolyeong Night Tour, Andong International Maskdance Festival, and Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival; Gyeongnam's Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival and Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival; and Ulsan's Shipbuilding & Marine Festival.

Past Events — June to November 8, 2026

Most past events return around the same time each year. You can use the dates in this table as a general baseline when planning your itinerary for next year, but always check official announcements released one to two months prior for confirmed schedules.

Tips for Choosing by Event Type

• Nighttime Highlights — Lantern festivals, fireworks, National Heritage Night Tours, light displays. Since the main attractions begin after sundown, plan transit options and last shuttle schedules in advance.
• Food & Harvest Celebrations — Hoengseong Hanwoo (Korean beef), Ganggyeong salted seafood, Yangyang pine mushroom & salmon, Icheon rice, Punggi ginseng, Gangneung coffee, Daegu chimac (fried chicken and beer). Hands-on workshops frequently require advance reservations.
• Tradition & Performing Arts — Gangneung Danoje, Andong International Maskdance Festival, Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, Yeowoorak Festival. Time your visit to performance schedules to avoid missing key stages.
• Flowers & Natural Landscapes — Lavender, lotus, sunflowers, silver grass, chrysanthemums. Timing depends far more on peak bloom conditions than exact calendar dates.
• Ticketed Concerts & Festivals — Waterbomb, Pentaport Rock Festival. Ticketing schedules, age restrictions, and entry policies vary significantly by organizer.
• Exhibitions & Long-Running Programs — Busan Biennale, Seoul Outdoor Library (both concluded Nov 1). Long runs allow you to plan around weekday mornings or quieter hours to avoid crowds.

Tracking Unconfirmed Dates

Many local festivals announce finalized schedules only one to two months before opening. The most reliable sources are municipal culture and tourism portals and official event websites. Because outdoor events can be rescheduled or cancelled on short notice due to rain or severe winds, it is wise to double-check official notices on the morning of your trip. If you need to secure lodging well in advance, book accommodations with flexible cancellation policies until dates are officially locked in.

Verified Sources

• 2026 Pohang International Fire & Light Festival held Nov 19–21 (Kyongbuk Maeil, 2026-10-27): https://www.kbmaeil.com/article/20261027500411
• 2026 Paju Jangdan Soybean Festival Schedule (Paju City): https://www.paju.go.kr/tour/festival/festival02/festival02_2/festival02_2_01/festival02_2_01_01.jsp
• Nationwide Festivals in November in Chronological Order (Bravo My Life, 2026-10-30): https://bravo.etoday.co.kr/view/atc_view/20360
• 2027 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival Schedule (based on Korea Tourism Organization festival data): https://www.ktriptips.com/kor/festival/507599
• Busan Fireworks Festival Official Event Overview: https://busanfireworks.com/bbs/content.php?co_id=overview
• Seoul Silver Grass Festival (Seoul Metropolitan Government Festivals): https://festival.seoul.go.kr/festival/main/festivalView.do?festacode=683
• Jinju Namgang Yudeung (Lantern) Festival Official Site: https://yudeung.com/
• Gimje Horizon Festival Official Site: https://festival.gimje.go.kr/
• Seoul International Fireworks Festival Schedule (Hangang Parks): https://hangang.seoul.go.kr/www/eventMng/detail.do?evntSn=454&mid=538&srchType=list
• Myeongseongsan Silver Grass Festival (Asia Economy, 2026-07-22): 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 (Bridge Economy, 2026-09-28): https://www.viva100.com/article/20260928500580
• Sejong Hangeul Festival Timetable & 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 Insam (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 Memories of Chungjang Festival Schedule (Sukbak Magazine): https://www.sukbakmagazine.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=69578
• All other event dates are based on official announcements and press releases provided on each festival's respective information page.

Last verified: 2026-11-02