Cheonan·Asan Cherry Blossom Festival Timing Diverges... Who Will Smile?

2023 Spring Cherry Blossoms at Dankook University Cheonan Campus

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As the full-scale cherry blossom blooming season approaches, Cheonan City and Asan City in Chungnam Province have made different choices regarding the timing of their representative cherry blossom festivals, drawing attention to the success of the festivals.

The ‘Cheonan Wirye Cherry Blossom Festival’ and the ‘Artvalley Asan Oncheon Cherry Blossom Festival’ are spring festivals representing their regions. Earlier this year, Cheonan City and Asan City set the festival period from the 30th to the 31st of this month.

This is about a week earlier than last year, a measure taken due to the cherry blossom blooming period advancing every year.

Looking at past festivals, when the cherry blossom blooming period coincides with the festival period, the events are crowded with visitors. However, if the timing does not match, the festival can earn the stigma of being a ‘festival without cherry blossoms,’ making the blooming period the most important factor for the festival.

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Recently, Cheonan City, concerned that the cherry blossom blooming period might be delayed due to temperatures that have not risen much, decided to postpone the festival by about a week and hold it from the 6th to the 7th of next month.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the average daily temperature in Cheonan from the 17th to the 23rd ranged from 4.4℃ to 13℃, and from the 24th to the 26th, it ranged from 7.4℃ to 16.2℃. This is about 1 to 2 degrees Celsius lower than the same period last year, which was 6.3℃ to 15.4℃. The highest temperature exceeded 20℃ only on the 23rd and 24th this year, whereas last year, temperatures consistently exceeded 20℃ from March 21 onward.

Ultimately, Cheonan City judged that cherry blossoms would be unlikely to bloom by the end of this month as initially expected and decided to postpone the festival by about a week.

The festival will open on the 6th with a pre-ceremony performance by the City Pungmul Band, followed by various experience programs such as face painting, retro costume experiences, rattan bookmark making, sotdae (traditional Korean wooden poles) and fan making.

Kim Je-hoon, the festival promotion committee chairman, said, “This year as well, we have prepared the festival with care so that people can feel the warmth of spring,” adding, “We hope citizens will fully enjoy the spring atmosphere and have a joyful time with the cherry blossoms.”

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On the other hand, Asan City decided to proceed with the original schedule. This decision was based on the expectation that if daytime temperatures rise over the next 2 to 3 days, blooming will occur in time for the festival.

More importantly, rather than delaying the festival and missing the blooming period, they expect that holding the festival before the blossoms will help build excitement.

Additionally, they plan to expand the scale of the festival by thoroughly preparing various side events.

Experience events include health measurements using body measurement equipment in cooperation with the Healthcare Spa Industry Promotion Agency, therapy experiences, doctor fish experiences, and making jewel cross-stitch keyrings. Through events, discount coupons and admission tickets for Asan Spavis and Paradise Spa Dogo will also be provided.

Moreover, 31 flea markets and high-quality cultural performances will continue daily throughout the festival period.

An official from Asan City said, “Although the cherry blossoms have not yet bloomed, we expect blooming to progress by the festival period,” adding, “Even if blooming does not occur, if interest is raised through various cultural events, we expect that more than 1,000 people per day will naturally visit the festival site from the festival period through the blooming period.”

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