Stars and Festivals Pour in Gyeongbuk's May... Nature, Tradition, and Culture Festival Fanfare

Yeongju 'Seonbi Culture' · Yeongyang 'Wild Vegetables'

Pohang 'International Light Festival' · Seongju 'Chamoe'

"Let's go on a 'Festival Trip' to Gyeongbuk"

The Taebaek Mountain Range's night sky is filled with festivals like stars. In May, the peak of spring and the queen of seasons, various festivals across Gyeongbuk captivate visitors.

From Children's Day next month through the weekends, the first weekend of May will see the opening of the 2023 Yeongju Korean Seonbi Culture Festival. This year, the theme of ‘Seonbi’ is transformed into a young Seonbi festival with various killer contents that the MZ generation can enjoy.

This festival, which interprets the new Pungnyu culture in a modern way and encompasses tradition and modernity, will be held for three days from the 5th to the 7th under the theme ‘The splendid outing of the excited Seonbi.’

At 7 p.m. on the 5th, the opening ceremony will feature a royal edict delivery performance, delivering the king’s edict to Yeongju, the hometown of Seonbi. Throughout the festival, various contents will be held at Seocheon Riverside, Sosu Seowon, Seonbi Village, and Seonbi World.

Yeongju Seonbi Culture Festival.

The main stage at Seocheon Riverside will present the ‘Seonbi’s Walk’ theme with a comeback exciting parade after COVID-19. Composed of about 1,000 participants from regional and national competitions, the parade will offer a spectacle from Seocheon Sports Park’s inline skating rink to the main stage, featuring large Seonbi puppet dolls.

At Seonbi Village, traditional banquets such as the Madanggeuk Dendongeomi, tightrope walking, marketplace performances, and modern Seonbi comic performances will be held. In the Seonbi World area, diverse children’s contents such as the Children’s Jangwon Promotion and Footprint Runway Paint Play will be offered.

From May 11 to 14, the Yeongyang Wild Vegetable Festival, designated as the best festival by Gyeongbuk Province, will take place.

This festival elevates the culture of the pristine mountain village and fully showcases the healthy taste of wild vegetables that spring offers.

Wild vegetables will be harvested from Ilwol Mountain, and a food village and market will operate in Yeongyang-eup, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the wild vegetable feast. On weekends, a night trekking program under the starry clean night sky will also be available.

Nutritional Wild Vegetable Festival.

On May 18, the Seongju Melon & Life Culture Festival will be held.

This year, the festival combines Seongju melons with the Sejong Daewangja Tashil to illuminate the 600-year history of the royal tomb. It aims to launch a global festival in the nation’s largest melon production area.

Held for four days under the theme ‘Seongju, Embracing Life; Embracing Melons!’, the festival will take place in Seongbakk Forest and the Sejong Daewangja Tashil area.

On the 18th at 10 a.m., a Life Declaration Ceremony will be held at the Sejong Daewangja Tashil, and at 7 p.m., the opening ceremony will begin at the main stage in Seongbakk Forest, featuring flying performances, the Melon Song Festival, MBC Prenatal Music Concert, and the Youth Dream Festival, all filled with lively musical events.

Seongju Chamoe & Life Culture Festival.

At the Signature Plaza, a Life Theme Hall and Melon Special Hall will be set up. A 15-meter-high Tower of Coexistence symbolizing a mother’s embrace and melons will be erected, showcasing 3D immersive videos with a cube-shaped three-dimensional effect. Twice a day, the Chambyeol Parade featuring Seongju’s character Chambyeol will be a new attraction.

The last week of May will host the 2023?2024 Korea Visit Year ‘K-Culture Tourism Event 100’ and one of the country’s top three fireworks festivals, the Pohang International Fireworks Festival.

The main international fireworks show on the 27th will feature four countries, including Korea, Italy, the Philippines, and Sweden, presenting the largest fireworks show in Korea. A spectacular scene will unfold, harmonizing with the night view of POSCO.

On the first and last days of the festival, a citizen-designed fireworks show will decorate Pohang’s night sky, where citizens can launch fireworks they designed via a metaverse platform.

Additionally, the Hyeongsan River Fringe Festival, a street performance of fire and light including circus, magic shows, and performances, and the Pohang Street Parade, which combines parade and performances, will add fun.

Pohang Fireworks Festival.

Efforts to present the direction of sustainable ESG festivals can also be seen. Visitors can experience ESG festivals through eco-friendly festival zones, ESG mini-exhibitions featuring eco-friendly industry introductions and experience programs, minimizing single-use items, and recycling separation.

In addition, the Andong Chajeon General Nokuk Princess Festival and Yecheon Archery Festival open on May 4, and various festivals such as the Yeongcheon Herbal Medicine Festival (19th) and Yeongju Sobaeksan Azalea Festival (27th) fill May across Gyeongbuk.

Kim Sang-cheol, Director of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Culture, Tourism and Sports, said, “In May, abundant festivals themed on nature, tradition, culture, and agricultural specialties are prepared throughout Gyeongbuk,” adding, “We hope families, friends, and couples plan a precious festival trip to Gyeongbuk and make sure to visit.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.