Siheung City to Hold 21st Siheung Gaetgol Festival from September 18 to 20

Full-Scale Preparations Begin for Korea's Leading Ecological and Cultural Festival

Siheung City in Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Lim Byeongtaek, will host the 21st Siheung Gaetgol Festival over three days, from September 18 to 20, at the Siheung Gaetgol Ecological Park.

Aerial view of Siheung City Hall. Courtesy of Siheung City

Now in its 21st year, the Siheung Gaetgol Festival leverages the environmental characteristics of the only inner-bay tideland ecological park in Korea, offering a wide range of ecological and artistic programs that allow visitors to relax, learn, and enjoy the unique nature of the gaetgol. The festival continues to attract not only local residents but also tourists from outside the region. It has once again been recognized for its stature as a leading ecological cultural festival in Korea, being consecutively designated as a '2026-2027 Culture and Tourism Festival'.

On March 6, the city formed a festival organizing committee through an innovation forum and held its first meeting to begin preparations. The committee consists of nine members, including experts in festivals, culture and arts, environment and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), as well as youth representatives, civic leaders, and city council members. The organizing committee will serve as an advisory body, providing input on all aspects of festival management, from developing the basic plan and program lineup to on-site operations, safety management, and publicity.

At the meeting, the committee established an annual preparation plan in line with the festival schedule and decided to strengthen signature programs that utilize the natural and historical resources of Siheung Gaetgol. They also agreed to focus on expanding citizen participation and creating a sustainable, eco-friendly festival that incorporates green elements.

Mayor Lim Byeongtaek stated, "We will work closely with the organizing committee to ensure that the 21st Siheung Gaetgol Festival is prepared as a high-quality event worthy of its status as a cultural tourism festival. Our goal is to make it a leading ecological cultural festival created and enjoyed together by the citizens."

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