Festival calendar

Expected in December 2026, dates not yet announced

• 14–15 November 2026 (Saturday–Sunday)Guryongpo Gwamegi Festival — A Saturday and Sunday in mid- to late November, or early December, as the gwamegi drying season gets going: 21–22 Nov 2015, 3–4 Dec 2022, 16–17 Nov 2024 and 15–16 Nov 2025. Pohang City has announced the dates only a few days ahead.
• Not announced as of 18 October 2026. RecGwangbok-ro Winter Light Tree Festival — Lit every evening for about 80 days from mid-November or early December into February, usually past the Lunar New Year holiday: 18 Dec 2022–29 Jan 2023, 8 Dec 2023–12 Feb 2024 (extended twice), 15 Nov 2024–2 Feb 2025, 5 Dec 2025–22 Feb 2026. Jung-gu announces the dates only days before the lighting.
• Probably a weekend in late November or eSeocheon Migratory Bird Festival — A weekend at the end of November or start of December, when the winter flocks have arrived: 1–3 Dec 2023 (Fri–Sun) and 29–30 Nov 2025 (Sat–Sun).
• Late December 2026 to mid or late FebruaChilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival — Late December or 1 January to mid or late February, as long as it is cold enough to freeze the fountains: 1 Jan–13 Feb 2022, 1 Jan–19 Feb 2023 (KTO listing; the Korea Herald said 12 Feb) and 24 Dec 2025–22 Feb 2026. In 2014–15 the December weeks were a partial, weather-dependent opening before the official opening on 1 January.
• Most likely 24–25 December 2026 (ThursdaDamyang Santa Festival — Two or three days at Christmas: 23–25 Dec 2023 and 24–25 Dec 2025 (2024 was a two-day edition in late December whose exact dates were not confirmed). Venue, programme and line-up are announced about a month ahead (26 November in 2025).
• Saturday 19 to Sunday 27 December 2026, Hangang Festival (Winter) — The second half of December, ending on or before 31 December: 22–31 Dec 2023, 20–31 Dec 2024 (12 days) and 19–31 Dec 2025 (13 days). The city's April 2026 schedule gives 19–27 Dec 2026. The Christmas market runs inside that window; the Hangang sledding parks open around Christmas and stay open into February. Spring, summer and autumn runs of the Hangang Festival are listed separately.
• 31 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 (the Homigot New Year Sunrise Festival — Every New Year's Eve into New Year's Day, from the afternoon of 31 December (14:00 in 2025–26) to about 09:00 on 1 January, built around the first sunrise at about 07:32–07:33. Held since New Year 1999; the official programme was cancelled for 2020–21 and 2021–22 (COVID-19, plaza closed), 2022–23 (COVID-19 and crowd safety) and 2024–25 (national mourning after the Jeju Air crash).
• Evening of Thursday 31 December 2026 to Jeongdongjin New Year Sunrise Festival — One night a year, fixed by the calendar: the evening of 31 December into the sunrise on 1 January (2025–26: 20:00–00:30 on 31 December and 06:00–08:00 on 1 January). Held at the end of 2023 and 2025; scaled back at the end of 2024 (fireworks dropped during national mourning) and not held for New Year 2021, when the beaches were closed because of COVID-19. Details appear only in late December.
• Not announced as of 18 October 2026. TheLighting Festival at the Garden of Morning Calm — About 100 days every winter, lit every day from the first Friday of December to a Sunday in mid-March: 1 Dec 2023–17 Mar 2024, 6 Dec 2024–16 Mar 2025, 5 Dec 2025–15 Mar 2026 (the 2016–17 run was 2 Dec–26 Mar).
• From Thursday 17 December 2026 to the NeSeoul Light DDP — About two weeks from a Thursday in the second half of December to the New Year's Eve countdown: 21–31 Dec 2023, 19–31 Dec 2024 and 18–31 Dec 2025; the 2026 run is set to open on 17 Dec. The first winter runs went into early January (20 Dec 2019–3 Jan 2020, 17 Dec 2021–2 Jan 2022). Since 2023 an autumn run has also been held around the start of September (3–13 Sep in 2026).
• From about Friday 11 December 2026 into Seoul Winter Festa — Three to five weeks from a Friday in mid-December into January: 15 Dec 2023–21 Jan 2024 (38 days), then 13 Dec 2024–5 Jan 2025 and 12 Dec 2025–4 Jan 2026 (24 days each). Each programme keeps its own dates, so the lanterns and the Seoul Plaza ice rink run past the festa's official end. The city has announced each edition in the second half of November.
• Not announced as of 18 October 2026. TheSuseong Light Art Festival — Over Christmas and New Year, opening between 20 and 24 December and closing on 31 December or in early January: 20 Dec 2019–12 Jan 2020 (1st edition), 22–31 Dec 2023, 23–31 Dec 2024, 24 Dec 2025–4 Jan 2026 (7th). Lit 17:00–22:00 daily in 2024 and 2025. Dates have reached the press only about a week before opening.