Gangwon in October Festivals, dates and what's on

Gangwon has 5 festivals in October: Naora Show (25 Apr – 31 Oct 2026), Jeongseon Arirang Festival (expected Sep/Oct 2027), Gangneung Coffee Festival (expected Oct/Nov 2027), Wonju Mandu Festival (expected Oct 2027), and Yangyang Pine Mushroom and Salmon Festival (expected Oct 2027). The Naora Show (나오라쇼, "Night of Light Show") is a free evening show at the Ganhyeon Tourist Area below Sogeumsan Grand Valley in Wonju, Gangwon: a media façade projected onto a river cliff about 250 m wide and 70 m high, with a music fountain that shoots up to 60 m. Sometimes held in October, but not this time: Yanggu Punchbowl Siraegi Apple Festival (6–8 Nov 2026).

Typical October weather in Gangneung: average high 20 °C (69 °F), low 12 °C (53 °F), 114 mm of rain (Gangneung station, KMA 1991–2020 normals).

At a glance

Festival	Dates	Admission	Nearest station	Status
Naora Show나오라쇼	25 Apr – 31 Oct 2026	Free entry	Seowonju Station	Happening now
Yanggu Punchbowl Siraegi Apple Festival청춘양구 펀치볼 시래기사과축제	6–8 Nov 2026	Free entry	See festival page	Upcoming
Jeongseon Arirang Festival정선아리랑제	Expected Sep/Oct 2027	Free entry	Jeongseon Station	Expected
Gangneung Coffee Festival강릉커피축제	Expected Oct/Nov 2027	Free + paid activities	Gangneung Station	Expected
Wonju Mandu Festival원주만두축제	Expected Oct 2027	Free + paid activities	Wonju Station	Expected
Yangyang Pine Mushroom and Salmon Festival양양송이연어축제	Expected Oct 2027	Free + paid activities	See festival page	Expected

Dates marked “expected” follow the organizer's usual pattern and are replaced when the official announcement comes. Each festival page lists the sources.

Weather in October

Festival town	Average high	Average low	Rain	Measured at
Gangneung	20 °C 69 °F	12 °C 53 °F	114 mm	Gangneung

What to wear. Comfortable: light layers.

Monthly averages, not a forecast. Source: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, via the KMA-sourced climate tables for Gangneung. Where a festival town has no station with published normals, the nearest one is used and its distance shown.

The festivals

All festivals in Gangwon

Happening now

Apr – Oct2026

25 –31

Sat–Sat

LightsWonjuFreeEnds todayAbout 50 min from Seoul

Naora Show

The Naora Show (나오라쇼, "Night of Light Show") is a free evening show at the Ganhyeon Tourist Area below Sogeumsan Grand Valley in Wonju, Gangwon: a media façade projected onto a river cliff about 250 m wide and 70 m high, with a music fountain that shoots up to 60 m. The 2026 season runs 25 April–31 October on Saturdays and public holidays only (none in July and August), 19:50–21:00, so the last 2026 shows are on Saturday 24 and Saturday 31 October; the 2027 season is expected from late April.

The Haean Basin, known as the Punchbowl, seen from the Eulji Observatory in Yanggu

Upcoming

Nov2026

6 –8

Fri–Sun

FoodYangguFreeStarts in 6 daysAbout 1 h 44 min from Seoul

Yanggu Punchbowl Siraegi Apple Festival

The Yanggu Punchbowl Siraegi Apple Festival (청춘양구 펀치볼 시래기사과축제) is a free three-day harvest fair for the dried radish greens (siraegi) and highland apples of the Haean basin, the 'Punchbowl', a farming valley on the edge of the DMZ in Yanggu, Gangwon State. The 2026 edition runs Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November, 10:00–17:00, in front of the Punchbowl Healing House in Haean-myeon.

Aerial view of the Arirang Center in Jeongseon-eup, the town where the festival is held, with mountains behind

Expected

Expected2027

Sep / Oct

usual window

MusicJeongseonFreeAbout 2 h 46 min from Seoul

Jeongseon Arirang Festival

The Jeongseon Arirang Festival (정선아리랑제) is a free four-day festival of Jeongseon Arirang, the Gangwon county's own form of Arirang, Korea's UNESCO-listed folk song, held around Jeongseon Public Stadium in Jeongseon-eup every year since 1976. The 51st edition ran 1–4 October 2026 with a mass Arirang chorus, drones and fireworks on opening night, a street parade and national singing contests; the 2027 edition is expected in late September or early October, with dates not yet announced.

Iced drinks and cake on a café table overlooking Anmok Beach on Gangneung's coffee street

Expected

Expected2027

Oct / Nov

usual window

FoodGangneungAbout 2 h 5 min from Seoul

Gangneung Coffee Festival

The Gangneung Coffee Festival is a five-day coffee festival on Gangneung Coffee Street at Anmok Beach on Korea's east coast, about two hours from Seoul by KTX. The 18th edition runs 21–25 October 2026, 10:00–20:00 daily.

The entrance to Wonju Jungang Market (Miro Art Market), one of the traditional markets in the festival area

Expected

Expected2027

Oct

usual window

FoodWonju

Wonju Mandu Festival

The Wonju Mandu Festival (원주만두축제) is a three-day dumpling festival in the old downtown of Wonju, Gangwon, spread along the Wonjucheon stream, Culture Street and the Jungang-dong traditional markets. The 4th edition runs Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026, 11:00–21:00, with 15 local dumpling makers, a global dumpling zone, free concerts and a fire-drop show over the stream on opening night.

Pine mushrooms (songi) displayed on forest soil at the 2009 Yangyang Pine Mushroom Festival

Expected

Expected2027

Oct

usual window

FoodYangyangAbout 2 h 19 min from Seoul

Yangyang Pine Mushroom and Salmon Festival

The Yangyang Pine Mushroom and Salmon Festival (양양송이연어축제) is an autumn harvest festival on the Namdaecheon riverside in Yangyang, on Gangwon's east coast, where you hunt for pine mushrooms (song-i) in a pine forest and catch returning salmon bare-handed in the river. The 2026 edition ran 16–18 October; 2027 dates are not announced, and mid-October is most likely.

October across Korea

All 106 festivals in October

October is the busiest month on the calendar, and the festival to plan a trip around is the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival: sixteen nights of floating lanterns on the Namgang River below Jinju's fortress from the first Saturday of the month. The first half of October also brings the Busan International Film Festival, the Busan International Rock Festival on the first weekend, the Silla Culture Festival in Gyeongju, Anseong's Baudeogi festival of namsadang folk performance, Sejong's Hangeul festival from Hangeul Day (9 October), Yeongju's Punggi ginseng festival and fortress festivals at Seosan's Haemieupseong and Gochang's Moyangseong. Mid-month adds Jarasum Jazz, Icheon's rice festival, pine mushrooms and salmon in Yangyang, and silver grass on Haneul Park in Seoul and on Hwangmaesan. In the second half, the chrysanthemum shows open at Hampyeong and Iksan, Gangneung holds its coffee festival, Wonju fills its old downtown with dumpling stalls, and Busan marks UN Day (24 October) with the UN Peace Festival beside the UN Memorial Cemetery.

Tip. October weekends sell out hotels in Jinju and Busan a month ahead; the weekdays in between are the best time to visit.

Questions travelers ask

Is there a festival in Gangwon in October?

When is Naora Show 2026?

25 Apr – 31 Oct 2026. Happening now. Free entry. Nearest station: Seowonju Station. Dates are taken from the organizer's own notice.

When is Yanggu Punchbowl Siraegi Apple Festival 2026?

6–8 Nov 2026. Upcoming. Free entry. Nearest station: See festival page. Dates are taken from the organizer's own notice.

When is Jeongseon Arirang Festival 2027?

Expected Sep/Oct 2027. Expected. Free entry. Nearest station: Jeongseon Station. The organizer has not yet confirmed the dates; this page updates when they do.

What is the weather like in Gangneung in October?

Average high 20 °C (69 °F), low 12 °C (53 °F), 114 mm of rain (Gangneung station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Comfortable: light layers.

How do I get to Gangwon?

KTX from Seoul Station to Gangneung in about 2 hours; Hwacheon by intercity bus from Dong Seoul Terminal.

What else is on in Korea in October?

106 festivals across Korea fall in October, including Andong Maskdance Festival, Anseong Namsadang Baudeogi Festival, Baekje Cultural Festival. October weekends sell out hotels in Jinju and Busan a month ahead; the weekdays in between are the best time to visit.