Seoul in September Festivals, dates and what's on

Seoul has 5 festivals in September: Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (expected Apr/May/Sep/Oct 2027), Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour (expected Sep/Oct 2027), Seoul International Fireworks Festival (expected Sep/Oct 2027), Seoul Music Festival (expected Sep/Oct/Nov 2027), and Seoul Petlympic (2027 dates to be announced · usually Sep/Oct). The Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (창덕궁 달빛기행) is a ticketed, guided night walk by lantern light through Changdeokgung Palace and its Secret Garden in central Seoul, with a daegeum flute solo, court dance, and tea with traditional sweets.

Typical September weather in Seoul: average high 26 °C (79 °F), low 18 °C (64 °F), 142 mm of rain (Seoul station, KMA 1991–2020 normals).

At a glance

Festival	Dates	Admission	Nearest station	Status
Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour창덕궁 달빛기행	Expected Apr/May/Sep/Oct 2027	Paid admission	Anguk Station, Exit 3	Expected
Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour경복궁 별빛야행	Expected Sep/Oct 2027	Paid admission	Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5	Expected
Seoul International Fireworks Festival서울세계불꽃축제	Expected Sep/Oct 2027	Free + paid activities	Yeouinaru Station, Exits 2 and 3	Expected
Seoul Music Festival서울뮤직페스티벌	Expected Sep/Oct/Nov 2027	Free entry	Nodeul Station, Exit 2	Expected
Seoul Petlympic서울 펫림픽	2027 dates to be announced · usually Sep/Oct	Free + paid activities	World Cup Stadium Station, Exit 1	Dates TBA

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 September

Festival town	Average high	Average low	Rain	Measured at
Seoul	26 °C 79 °F	18 °C 64 °F	142 mm	Seoul

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 Seoul. Where a festival town has no station with published normals, the nearest one is used and its distance shown.

The festivals

All festivals in Seoul

The Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace at night in April 2013

Expected

Expected2027

Apr / May / Sep / Oct

usual window

TraditionSeoul

Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour

The Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour (창덕궁 달빛기행) is a ticketed, guided night walk by lantern light through Changdeokgung Palace and its Secret Garden in central Seoul, with a daegeum flute solo, court dance, and tea with traditional sweets. It runs in spring and autumn: the autumn 2026 season ended on 17 October, and no 2027 dates had been announced as of 19 October 2026 (recent spring seasons have started in mid-April).

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung Palace lit up at night and reflected in its pond

Expected

Expected2027

Sep / Oct

usual window

TraditionSeoul

Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour

The Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour (경복궁 별빛야행) is a ticketed, guided night tour of the northern part of Gyeongbokgung Palace in central Seoul, with a modern 12-dish royal meal in the palace kitchen, live traditional music and, in 2026, a short changgeuk opera about King Gojong at Jibokjae. The 2026 season runs 2 September–24 October, Wednesday to Sunday, in two sessions (18:20–20:10 and 19:30–21:20), and foreign visitors have their own sessions on 21–24 October, sold through Creatrip.

Fireworks over the Han River beside Yeouido's high-rises during the Seoul International Fireworks Festival

Expected

Expected2027

Sep / Oct

usual window

LightsSeoul

Seoul International Fireworks Festival

The Seoul International Fireworks Festival is a free one-night fireworks show over the Han River at Yeouido Hangang Park, staged by Hanwha with invited teams from abroad. The 22nd edition was on Saturday 5 September 2026, with shows by teams from the UK, the US and Korea from 20:00 to about 21:10; the 2027 date has not been announced.

Nodeul Island on the Han River, the festival's venue, in 2014

Expected

Expected2027

Sep / Oct / Nov

usual window

MusicSeoulFree

Seoul Music Festival

The Seoul Music Festival (서울뮤직페스티벌) is a free concert festival run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Nodeul Island in the Han River; the 2026 edition is a single day, Saturday 24 October, from 12:00 to 21:00. The main concert, 17:00–21:00, is curated with the Korean Music Awards and features Paul Kim, Kwon Jin-ah, Okdal, Nerd Connection, Chudahye Chagis and the Kim Chang-wan Band.

World Cup Park in Seoul, the festival's venue

Dates TBA

Dates TBA2027

Sep / Oct

usual window

FamilySeoul

Seoul Petlympic

Seoul Petlympic is a two-day dog-sports festival run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Peace Plaza in World Cup Park, Mapo-gu, where owners and their dogs try beginner events such as a sit-stay, a recall sprint, a cone slalom and a 15 m team sprint, or walk a 4 km Dog Trail through Peace Park. The second edition runs 24–25 October 2026, 10:00–17:00.

September across Korea

All 39 festivals in September

September starts in the mountains: Muju's firefly festival takes visitors on guided night walks to see fireflies in a protected habitat in the first half of the month, and Bongpyeong in Pyeongchang holds the Hyoseok Culture Festival among white buckwheat fields for ten days. Hanwha's Seoul International Fireworks Festival over the Han River falls on a Saturday between early September and mid-October. In odd-numbered years the Cheongju Craft Biennale opens in early September (2 September–31 October in 2027), and in even-numbered years Gyeonggi's ceramics biennale opens in Icheon, Gwangju and Yeoju. Namdang Port in Hongseong sells king prawns from late August or early September into October or November. The main autumn season starts late in the month: Andong's mask-dance festival, the Baekje cultural festival in Gongju and Buyeo, Cheonan's world dance festival, Geumsan's ginseng festival, the Jeongseon Arirang Festival and Suwon's Hwaseong fortress festival all open between the third week of September and the first week of October, and several overlap the Chuseok holiday.

Tip. Chuseok (the harvest holiday) moves each year; festivals that overlap it are busier, and intercity transport sells out.

Questions travelers ask

Is there a festival in Seoul in September?

When is Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour 2027?

Expected Apr/May/Sep/Oct 2027. Expected. Paid admission. Nearest station: Anguk Station, Exit 3. The organizer has not yet confirmed the dates; this page updates when they do.

When is Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour 2027?

Expected Sep/Oct 2027. Expected. Paid admission. Nearest station: Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5. The organizer has not yet confirmed the dates; this page updates when they do.

When is Seoul International Fireworks Festival 2027?

Expected Sep/Oct 2027. Expected. Free + paid activities. Nearest station: Yeouinaru Station, Exits 2 and 3. The organizer has not yet confirmed the dates; this page updates when they do.

What is the weather like in Seoul in September?

Average high 26 °C (79 °F), low 18 °C (64 °F), 142 mm of rain (Seoul station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Comfortable: light layers.

How do I get to Seoul?

Incheon Airport to central Seoul by AREX express train: 43–51 minutes to Seoul Station.

What else is on in Korea in September?

39 festivals across Korea fall in September, including Andong Maskdance Festival, Baekje Cultural Festival, Busan International Film Festival. Chuseok (the harvest holiday) moves each year; festivals that overlap it are busier, and intercity transport sells out.