From Riverside Naps to Night Swimming... "How About Summer Vacation at Hangang This Year?"

Seoul City to Host 'Hangang Festival Summer'
More Than 15 of 24 Programs Are Free

In the scorching summer, if escaping the heat is difficult, head to the nearby Hangang River for a refreshing getaway. From Hawaiian dance performances enjoyed while immersed in the Hangang Park swimming pools to water leisure experiences like kayaking and paddleboarding while watching the sunset, the Hangang transforms into a vibrant festival and an urban summer retreat.

On the 1st, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that the city's representative summer festival, '2023 Hangang Festival_Summer,' will be held for 17 days from the 4th to the 20th across the Hangang waters and eight Hangang parks.

'2023 Hangang Festival_Summer' is themed ‘Wise Summer Vacation Enjoyed at the Hangang’ and features 24 diverse programs unique to the Hangang, including ▲culture and performances, ▲sports and experiences, and ▲leisure and relaxation. Seoul plans to offer the Hangang as a ‘cost-effective summer retreat’ to citizens who have been unable to enjoy summer vacations due to COVID-19. Among the 24 programs, more than 60%, or 15 programs, are free to participate in, and the remaining programs are offered at prices lower than market rates, such as participation fees to prevent no-shows and material costs.

First, for romantics who want to recharge their emotions surrounded by the beautiful night views and scenery of the Hangang, performance, movie, and party programs are recommended. The Hangang Summer Music Picnic is a signature summer festival program where attendees lie on bean bags and enjoy performances. Korea’s top ‘K-Jazz’ diva Woongsan, jazz pianist and singer Maria Kim, and saxophonist Lee Jeongsik will fill the summer night waterside stage. Anyone can watch for free without prior reservation.

Moonlight Fantastage debuts this year with b-boy and fire shows. Under the Mapo Bridge, the ‘Hangang Silent DJ Party’ will be held, where participants enjoy music with wireless headphones. Alongside this, the Hangang Waterlight Cinema will screen masterpieces such as 'Minari' and 'La La Land.'

Sports and experience programs for active citizens are also prepared. The ‘My Own Hangang Lake Race’ is a water race where participants create unique boats from recycled materials like discarded PET bottles and cans, then float them on the Hangang to race around a turning point. Additionally, the ‘Hangang King Canoe Waterway Tour’ lets participants cool off while enjoying the night view of the Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Fountain, the ‘Rainbow Bridge Yacht Festival’ offers city nightscape and sunset views from a yacht, the ‘Picnic Cruise’ travels between Yeouido and Nodeul Island, and the ‘Great Sunset Water Leisure Experience’ allows free paddleboarding and kayaking while watching the sunset throughout the festival period.

There are also events for families and relatives to enjoy walking around the Hangang area together, such as the Hangang Pedal-less Bicycle Race and Hangang Night Walk 42K.

For those who prefer relaxation, the ‘Hangang Hyuhyoo (休休) Swimming Pool’ is perfect. This program allows visitors to enjoy the outdoor swimming pools at Hangang Park at night. ‘Rest Hangangseo’ is a new program this year with a ‘Hangang Siesta (Nap)’ concept, offering a leisurely rest at Gangseo Hangang Park, which embraces the wetland ecological park. Additionally, the ‘Sunset Hangang Yoga,’ held in sync with the sunset, features professional instructors and is designed so even those unfamiliar with yoga can fully enjoy it.

Moreover, visitors can experience various fixed programs at six Hangang ecological parks (Godeok Riverside, Amsa, Yeoui Saetgang, Nanji, Gangseo Wetlands, and Hangang Wild Exploration Center), such as the ‘Hangang Summer Ecology Class,’ and learn emergency response methods for water accidents in the ‘Hangang Water Safety Class’ during water play.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has established a safety system to ensure citizens can enjoy all these programs in a safe environment. Throughout the festival, comprehensive control rooms will operate in 11 Hangang parks, conducting pre-inspections and safety monitoring for each program. Additionally, response manuals and feasible programs will be prepared according to weather conditions such as rain, bird flu alerts, and heatwave warnings.

Seoul plans to consecutively present ‘Hangang Festival_Autumn’ in October, where visitors can enjoy the Hangang sunset and autumn atmosphere, and ‘Hangang Festival_Winter’ in December, a warm and hopeful event to share affection as the year ends.

Juyongtae, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Future Hangang Headquarters, said, “For citizens who find it difficult to travel far for summer vacations, Seoul has prepared the ‘2023 Hangang Festival_Summer’ so they can cool off and overcome the heat even in the city.” He added, “We hope everyone spends a happy and enjoyable summer vacation with family, friends, and loved ones at the nearby Hangang.”

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