From City Lights to Rural Fields: Hongcheon County’s Unique Halloween Festival Reimagined with Pumpkins

Hongcheon County to Host the 2nd Hongcheon Halloween Pumpkin Festival on the 31st
A Special Autumn Night Unfolds at a Former School Turned Campsite

A special autumn festival unfolds in the warm rural scenery, offering a unique experience far from the dazzling city lights.

Hongcheon County will hold the "2nd Hongcheon Halloween Pumpkin Festival" at Goindol Camping Site in Hwacheon-myeon on the 31st. Provided by Hongcheon County

Hongcheon County in Gangwon Province announced on the 28th that it will hold the "2nd Hongcheon Halloween Pumpkin Festival" at Goindol Camping Site in Hwacheon-myeon on the 31st.

This year’s festival is designed as a community-based cultural event, inviting 100 Hongcheon residents to enjoy the festivities with their families. In particular, the festival highlights locally grown "Hongcheon Pumpkins" as its symbol, focusing on widely promoting the message "Halloween means pumpkins" both within and beyond the region.

The event will begin at 5 p.m., with all programs centered around family-friendly, hands-on activities. Both local residents and visitors from outside the area are welcome to participate and enjoy the festivities together.

Main programs include: ▲a dinner party featuring pumpkin-based dishes ▲a pumpkin candle-making experience ▲tastings of Donghongcheon craft beer ▲a costume contest (cosplay contest) ▲a magic show ▲and a large bonfire event (campfire) in the playground.

Notably, Halloween costumes can be rented for free on-site, allowing families and children to fully immerse themselves in a unique Halloween atmosphere.

'The 2nd Hongcheon Halloween Pumpkin Festival' poster. Provided by Hongcheon County

The festival venue, Goindol Camping Site, is a remodeled former school operated directly by local residents. This space stands out as more than just a festival site-it represents a sustainable cultural foundation created voluntarily by the local community.

The festival organizers stated, "This festival is not about uncritically adopting foreign culture, but rather about reinterpreting it through the local identity and agricultural product, the pumpkin." They added, "With Hongcheon residents taking the lead, families can enjoy culture together while simultaneously invigorating the rural economy."

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