Yeongdeok County Successfully Hosts Golden Sweetfish Festival, Revitalizing the Community

The '2025 Yeongdeok Golden Sweetfish Festival,' the signature summer event of Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang Province, successfully concluded from August 2 to August 4, drawing over 16,000 visitors amid enthusiastic support from vacationers and local residents.

2025 Yeongdeok Hwanggeum Eoneo Festival.

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Held under the theme "Golden Sweetfish Returns, Yeongdeok ON Again," this year's festival was the first large-scale local event since the North Gyeongsang wildfire that struck the region at the end of March. The festival aimed to revitalize the community and comfort wildfire victims by inviting those affected by the disaster, drawing attention for its inclusive approach.

Accordingly, the festival provided special seating for wildfire victims and operated two air-conditioned buses at all times to help visitors cope with the heat, receiving positive feedback for its meticulous planning and execution.

Additionally, the festival's signature program, the Golden Sweetfish Bandu Catch, ensured that everyone could fully enjoy sweetfish catching by supplying enough fish in advance?so much so that the water seemed half fish, half water.

In particular, the Yeongdeok Fire Department and Police Station operated CPR experience booths and provided security support, while local civic groups and small business owners joined forces to ensure the festival's success, demonstrating the community's determination to overcome the impact of the wildfire.

The festival also featured a variety of hands-on activities and performances, including a children's barehanded fish-catching event, a family water park, the I-net TV Star Show Concert, street busking performances, a water balloon event, and more. Various food stalls, food trucks, a booth promoting the Hometown Love Donation Program, and local specialty product booths captivated participants' senses.

The festival's careful management also stood out. To maintain the value of sweetfish, Yeongdeok County and the festival organizing committee produced special packaging for grilled and fried sweetfish and provided ice packs and cold storage packs to ensure freshness and convenience. For safety, lifeguards were stationed at the family water park at all times, allowing the festival to conclude without a single accident.

County Governor Kim Kwangyeol stated, "This year's Golden Sweetfish Festival went beyond simply promoting local specialties. It comforted residents affected by the wildfire and served as a turning point for Yeongdeok tourism and the local economy under the spirit that 'tourism is donation.' The festival's success reaffirmed that the driving force lies in the community's will and unity. With the support of our residents and the encouragement of the entire nation, we will ensure that Yeongdeok becomes even better than it was before the wildfire."

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