The Entire City of Gwangju Becomes a Festival Space... "G-Festa Spring and Summer Season" Opens

Twelve Festivals and Events Centered on "Gastronomy, Humanities, and Energy" Over 67 Days Starting April 23

Synergy Expected from Linking Nearby Commercial Districts and Tourist Attractions

For 67 days from spring through early summer, festivals will be held throughout downtown Gwangju. The spring and summer season of "G-Festa Gwangju 2026," which unites various events across the city, will begin on April 23.

According to Gwangju City on April 21, this spring and summer season will feature a total of 12 festivals and events across the city under the themes of "Gastronomy, Humanities, and Energy." Rather than focusing on a single event, the program encompasses festival spaces, commercial districts, and key tourist attractions citywide.

Participants are holding the Taegeukgi flag and performing at the opening event of the "May Gwangju, Democracy Festival" held in the Geumnamro area. Photo by Gwangju City

A Citywide Festival Comprised of Three Pillars: Gastronomy, Humanities, and Energy

The spring and summer season will be organized around three themes: "Gastronomy + Picnic," "Humanities + Stroll," and "Energy + Experience." Each main theme is anchored by representative festivals, strengthening the density of content throughout the city.

The "Gastronomy + Picnic" theme unfolds under the slogan "Spring Days, Taste Gwangju." Key events include the Yangdong Traditional Market's Yangdong Tongmaek Festival, the Gwangju Food Expo—the largest in the Honam region—and the National Alcohol Tourism Festa, which brings together alcoholic beverages from across Korea. These events form the core of the gastronomy content.

The "Humanities + Stroll" theme is centered on "Walking, Meet Gwangju." The May 18 Democracy Plaza, the May Gwangju Democracy Grand Festival and the World Human Rights Cities Forum around Geumnam-ro, as well as the Mudeungsan Humanities Festival, continue the flow of humanities, democracy, and peace throughout the city.

Citizens are watching a large soap bubble performance at the family participatory performance program "HOW FUN" held at the National Asia Culture Center (ACC). Provided by Gwangju City

The "Energy + Experience" theme, titled "Now, Enjoy Gwangju," will be held around the National Asian Culture Complex. The Street Culture Festa, HOW FUN, and the Gwangju Independent Film Festival are scheduled as part of this program.

Tourist Courses by Area... Enhanced Access to Gastronomy Information

Gwangju City has also presented recommended tourist courses by area, such as the Dongmyeong-dong and Mudeungsan district (East District) and the Sangmu district and Kimdaejung Convention Center area (West District). These courses are designed to encourage use of nearby commercial districts and visits to surrounding tourist attractions.

To help visitors experience Gwangju’s gastronomy, recommended restaurant information—selected as "Gwangju Matjip" and included in "Omae Gwangju Gwangju Tourism"—will be provided in the form of QR codes. Tourist routes are also structured around major landmarks such as the May 18 Democracy Plaza, Mudeungsan, and the National Asian Culture Complex.

Citizens are participating in the "Mudeungsan Humanities Festival" held around Mudeungsan, listening to a humanities lecture in the forest. Provided by Gwangju City

The program also includes festival participation certification events and advance discount benefits for exhibitions. A pop-up store featuring local foods will be operated at Gwangju Songjeong Station. Gwangju City plans to maximize promotional marketing and content synergy by collaborating with the Gwangju Tourism Organization and the organizers of each festival.

Lee Seungkyu, head of the New Vitality Promotion Headquarters at Gwangju City, stated, "'G-Festa Gwangju' is an integrated platform that transforms the entire city into one large festival space."

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