The Nation's Largest Makgeolli Festival to Be Held in Goyang This September

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Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) announced on September 1 that it will host the '2025 Goyang City National Makgeolli Festival' at Ilsan Culture Square in Goyang for two days, from September 20 to 21.

'2025 Goyang-si National Makgeolli Festival' poster. Provided by Goyang Special City

This event, sponsored by Goyang Special City and organized by the Goyang City Brewers Association, is the largest makgeolli festival in the country.

With the theme 'Goyang, the City of Gawaji Rice: Crafting Taste and Style,' the festival aims to promote Goyang's signature agricultural product, Gawaji rice, and local makgeolli, as well as to serve as a catalyst for globalizing the traditional liquor industry.

The festival will feature participation from 87 companies nationwide, including five local breweries-Baedari Doga, Goyang Takju Cooperative Brewery, Haengjusanseong Brewery, Makkaeju, and Sangayorok.

During the event, visitors can sample over 270 varieties of makgeolli for free and purchase them on-site. In addition, a variety of side events are planned, including makgeolli brewing experiences, performances, and busking.

The highlight of this year's festival is the 'Simultaneous Makgeolli Brewing by 108 People' experience, sponsored by the Makgeolli Association. This special event is part of efforts to have 'makgeolli brewing' inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and there are plans to attempt a Guinness World Record next year.

Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, stated, "The Goyang City National Makgeolli Festival is a meaningful occasion to preserve and develop makgeolli, a unique cultural heritage of our people. We will continue to expand the festival so that it can serve as a bridgehead for the traditional liquor industry to reach beyond Korea and into the world."

Park Sangbin, Chairman of the Goyang City Brewers Association, said, "Through this festival, which has a 20-year tradition, we will strive to make Goyang Special City a 'makgeolli mecca' comparable to Germany's Oktoberfest."

Meanwhile, at this year's venue, only processed foods made from local agricultural specialties will be sold, with no side dishes or ready-to-eat foods available. Instead, a separate 'delivery zone' will be operated so that visitors can order food from nearby businesses, supporting local merchants.

An association representative requested, "Please bring your own picnic mats and garbage bags so that the event can be held in an environmentally friendly manner."

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