At a glance
| Dates | Expected Jul 2027Early July 2027, Wednesday to Sunday (most likely 30 June–4 July or 7–11 July), following the 2024–2026 pattern. 2025 dates were announced on 22 May 2025 and the 2026 lineup on 29 June 2026. The festival was selected for the Ministry's 'Local 100' list for 2026–2027. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Early July 2027, Wednesday to Sunday (most likely 30 June–4 July or 7–11 July), following the 2024–2026 pattern. 2025 dates were announced on 22 May 2025 and the 2026 lineup on 29 June 2026. The festival was selected for the Ministry's 'Local 100' list for 2026–2027. |
| Weather | July average 31/23 °C (87/73 °F), 224 mm of rainHot, humid and the wettest time of year: light clothes, a rain jacket or umbrella, and water. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Daegu station. |
| Admission | Entry to all four zones is free; you pay per item at chicken and beer booths, and a small block of main-stage seats is sold in advance.General admission: Free |
| Venue | Duryu Park (2·28 Free Plaza, 2·28 Memorial Tower car park, Kolon Outdoor Music Hall, Duryu Park Road)대구광역시 달서구 공원순환로 36 |
| Nearest station | Duryu Station (두류역), Daegu Metro Line 2, Exits 9–14A few minutes to the Duryu Park entrances; official page gives exits but no walk time |
| From Seoul | about 2 h · KTX + SubwayLeave from Seoul StationFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Daegu Chimac Festival Organizing Committee (Korea Chimac Industry Association)대구치맥페스티벌 조직위원회 / 사단법인 한국치맥산업협회 |
| Usual timing | Five days, Wednesday to Sunday, in the first week of July (2024: 3–7 Jul; 2025: 2–6 Jul; 2026: 1–5 Jul). Dates have been announced in May and the lineup in late June. Browse July festivals. |
| First held | 2013 |
| Last checked | 21 October 2026Checked against 28 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Chimac is Korean shorthand for chikin (fried chicken) and maekju (beer), and Daegu, where several national chicken chains began, has staged this festival since 2013. It takes over Duryu Park on the west side of the city for five hot July evenings: in 2026 the 2·28 Free Plaza held a 360-degree stage with water cannons and EDM DJs between concerts by FT Island, N.Flying, 10CM, Wonstein and Haengju, and Park Myung-soo with Car, the Garden; the 2·28 Memorial Tower car park became a DJ-led sing-along club; the Kolon Outdoor Music Hall hosted indie bands with 1,000 free seats; and Duryu Park Road turned into K-Chimac Street with brand booths, a flea market, a stamp rally and games such as tossing ping-pong balls into beer cups. Entry is free, but a limited block of paid seats at the main plaza sold out eleven minutes after booking opened, and most people sit on the pavement or bring a mat. The food is the point: dozens of chicken brands, draught beer in reusable cups, and long queues at the popular booths from about 17:00. Expect heat and humidity, crowds of more than a million over the week (1.23 million in 2024, 1.15 million in 2025) and loud music until 23:00. Overseas visitors had a Global Lounge and a multilingual AI chatbot, and about 5,000 pre-registered visitors staying overnight in Daegu got a ₩20,000 Daegu-ro Pay card in 2026.
Highlights
- Nightly concerts on the 360-degree water-cannon stage at 2·28 Free Plaza, 21:00–22:00 (2026: FT Island, N.Flying, 10CM, Wonstein and Haengju, Car, the Garden)
- About five minutes of fireworks from E-World at 20:00 on the Saturday (4 July 2026), visible from the main plaza
- Opening ceremony with the lighting of a giant chimac globe and a mass toast, 19:30 on day one
- Chimac Sing-along Club at the 2·28 Memorial Tower car park, run by a DJ
- EGG Island indie concerts at the Kolon Outdoor Music Hall with about 1,000 free seats via TicketLink
- K-Chimac Street along Duryu Park Road: dozens of chicken-brand booths, flea market, stamp rally and chimac-pong games
Who it suits. Best for groups of friends and K-pop or indie-music fans who want to eat, drink and watch free concerts outdoors; less suited to anyone who dislikes heat, queues and loud crowds, or to visitors who do not drink, since beer is central to the event.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Seoul Station or Suseo to Dongdaegu Station (about 1 h 50 min), then Daegu Metro Line 1 from Dongdaegu to Banwoldang, change to Line 2 toward Munyang and get off at Duryu Station; use exits 9–14 for Duryu Park (about 10 minutes by metro from Banwoldang).
From Busan
KTX from Busan to Dongdaegu (about 50 min), then Metro Line 1 to Banwoldang and Line 2 to Duryu Station exits 9–14. Intercity buses from Busan to Daegu are another option; check routes and arrival terminals on txbus.t-money.co.kr.
From Incheon Airport
Take AREX or an airport bus to Seoul Station, then KTX to Dongdaegu and Metro Lines 1 and 2 to Duryu Station as above. Daegu International Airport, which has flights from several Asian cities, is on the opposite side of the city; a taxi or Line 1 from Ayanggyo then Line 2 reaches Duryu.
Last leg from Duryu Station
Daegu Metro Line 2, Exits 9–14. A few minutes to the Duryu Park entrances; official page gives exits but no walk time
Festival shuttle
No festival shuttle in 2026; the organizer's directions page listed extra bus service as 'to be determined'. Buses 501, 503, 623 and Circular 3(-1) stop at E-World main gate and Duryu Library; bus 653 at Duryu 3-dong police box.
Getting home
Last metro and KTX times for the 2027 festival dates were not checked. In 2026 the organizer's directions page noted that Line 1, which you need at Banwoldang for Dongdaegu, stops earlier than Line 2 at Duryu, so for Dongdaegu don't wait for the last Line 2 train. Back to Seoul, the KTX from Dongdaegu takes about 1 h 50 min; allow about 30 minutes from Duryu to Dongdaegu (Line 2 to Banwoldang, then Line 1). The programme ran to 23:00 on most nights in 2026. Check the last metro at the station and the last KTX in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) before the festival day.
Parking
The 2·28 Memorial Tower car park is used as a festival zone, so on-site parking is very limited; the organizer published no parking guide for 2026. Use the metro.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | Free | Free in every edition; food, drink and a small block of main-stage seats are paid |
- Booking
- Free priority seats at the Kolon Outdoor Music Hall are released on TicketLink (Korean site); the paid main-stage seats were sold online in advance (platform not stated in our sources) and sold out in 11 minutes in 2026. Overseas group packages were sold through Klook and KKday in 2025. Nothing else needs booking.
- Foreign cards
- Not stated by the organizer. Booths are run by national chicken chains and beer brands, which usually take Korean and international cards, but carry some cash; the 2026 STAY & PLAY voucher was loaded on a Daegu-ro Pay card.
- English on site
- A Global Lounge for overseas visitors on the 2·28 Free Plaza observation deck, an AI festival platform with a multilingual chatbot, multilingual signage via QR codes, and 'Global Chimac Friends' volunteers (2026). The official website is Korean only apart from recruitment notices.
- Crowds
- Over a million visitors across five days; booths are crowded from 17:00 and table seats are full by about 18:00. The Saturday fireworks night is usually the busiest.
- Best time to go
- Arrive around 16:00–17:00 on a weekday to get a table before the 18:00 DJ sets, then stay for the 21:00 concert; Saturday has the fireworks at 20:00 but the biggest crowds.
- What to bring
- A picnic mat (most people sit on the pavement), a hat and water for the heat, a portable fan, and a power bank. Reusable beer cups are issued at the booths.
- Rain
- The festival ran through intermittent rain on opening night 2026; the 2024 premium lounge had rain tents. Rides and water shows may pause in storms; no formal policy published.
- Step-free access
- Stroller rental, item storage and accessible seating in the general areas and a mobility-assistance service for ticket holders who request it were offered in 2025; the park is flat.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Early July 2027, Wednesday to Sunday (most likely 30 June–4 July or 7–11 July), following the 2024–2026 pattern. 2025 dates were announced on 22 May 2025 and the 2026 lineup on 29 June 2026. The festival was selected for the Ministry's 'Local 100' list for 2026–2027. | expected | No 2027 dates on the organizer's notice board as of 21 October 2026. |
| 2026 | 1–5 Jul 2026 | ended | Four zones: 2·28 Free Plaza (360-degree 'Daefrica Waterpia' stage), 2·28 Memorial Tower car park (Chimac Sing-along Club), Kolon Outdoor Music Hall (EGG Island) and Duryu Park Road (K-Chimac Street). |
| 2025 | 2–6 Jul 2025 | ended | Main venue 2·28 Free Plaza with the first 360-degree water-concert stage; new zones 'Daefrica Waterpia', 'Blood Horror Club' and 'Chimac Travellers' Street'. |
| 2024 | 3–7 Jul 2024 | ended | About 1.23 million visitors. |
Nearby
- E-World and 83 Tower (이월드·83타워) — Inside Duryu Park, next to the festival zones. Amusement park on Duryu Hill with an observation tower; 2025 festival packages included a tower discount.
- Seomun Market night market (서문시장 야시장). Daegu's largest traditional market with a street-food night market.
- Dongseong-ro and Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park (동성로). Downtown shopping street and the old provincial government park.
- Apsan Observatory (앞산 전망대). Cable car and night view over the city.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Daegu Chimac Festival?
The 2026 festival ran 1–5 July at Duryu Park, Daegu. The last three editions ran Wednesday to Sunday in the first week of July, so expect early July 2027 (30 June–4 July or 7–11 July); dates have been announced in May.
Is the Daegu Chimac Festival free?
Entry is free. You pay for chicken and beer at the booths, and a limited block of seats at the main stage is sold online in advance (sold out in 11 minutes in 2026).
How do I get to Duryu Park by subway?
Take Daegu Metro Line 2 to Duryu Station and use exits 9–14. From Dongdaegu KTX station, ride Line 1 to Banwoldang and change to Line 2.
What time do the concerts start?
In 2026 the main-stage concerts ran 21:00–22:00 each night, with DJ sets from 18:00, a water EDM party 20:00–21:00 and, on 1–4 July, a final DJ set 22:00–23:00. About five minutes of fireworks, launched from E-World, began at 20:00 on Saturday 4 July.
How crowded is it?
About 1.23 million people came in 2024 and 1.15 million in 2025. Tables fill by 18:00 and the Saturday fireworks night is the busiest.
Is there English support for foreign visitors?
Yes. In 2026 there was a Global Lounge on the 2·28 Free Plaza observation deck, a multilingual AI chatbot and QR-code guides, plus English-speaking 'Global Chimac Friends' volunteers.
What is the last train home?
Last metro and KTX times for the 2027 festival dates have not been checked. In 2026 the organizer noted that Line 1, which you need from Banwoldang for Dongdaegu, stops earlier than Line 2 at Duryu. The programme ended at 23:00 in 2026. Check the last metro at the station and the last KTX in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) before the festival day.
What is the weather like at Daegu Chimac Festival in July?
July in Daegu: average high 31 °C (87 °F), low 23 °C (73 °F), 224 mm of rain (Daegu station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Hot, humid and the wettest time of year: light clothes, a rain jacket or umbrella, and water.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
21 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: high.
- Daegu Chimac Festival official site — home, directions, FAQ and notice boardofficial — Zone names; site operator Korea Chimac Industry Association; bus routes; 'extra buses TBD'; no FAQ entries; notice board (vendor price-list PDF 1 Jul 2026, Local 100 selection 2026–2027; no 2027 dates as of 21 Oct 2026)
- Daegu Chimac Festival official site — 2026 program schedule (2·28 Free Plaza)official — Daily timetable 1–5 Jul 2026: start 18:00 on 1 Jul, 17:00 on 2–4 Jul, 18:10 on 5 Jul; opening 19:30; DJ sets 18:00–18:50; Watercon EDM party 20:00–21:00; concerts 21:00–22:00; E-World fireworks 4 Jul 20:00 (about 5 min); closing 5 Jul 20:00; DJ RARA 22:00–23:00 on 1–4 Jul, nothing after 22:00 on 5 Jul
- Daegu Chimac Festival official site — directions (오시는 길)official — Duryu Station (Line 2) exits 9–14; last trains, normal timetable, no extension: 23:26 toward Yeungnam Univ., 23:40 to Suseong-gu Office, 23:40 toward Munyang, 23:52 to Igok; Line 1 last trains at Seobu Bus Terminal: 23:19 toward Ansim, 23:31 to Bangchon, 23:50 toward Seolhwa-Myeonggok
- KTO VisitKorea — Daegu Chimac Festivalkto — 2026 period 1–5 Jul; venue and address; free admission with some fees; organizer and host names; performances 18:00–22:00; first held 2013; phone +82-53-248-9998
- Herald K — 대구시, 2026 대구치맥페스티벌 다음달 1일 개막news — Four zones and their locations; slogan; lineup by day; AI multilingual platform; Global Lounge
- Maeil Shinmun — 2026 festival previewnews — Paid main-venue seats sold out in 11 minutes (platform not named); 1,000 free seats at Kolon via TicketLink; opening 19:30; STAY & PLAY ₩20,000 Daegu-ro Pay for about 5,000 pre-registered visitors with same-day lodging in Daegu; about 200 overseas delegates
- Kukinews — 2026 festival previewnews — Five days from 1 July; paid seats sold out in 11 minutes; global lounge; AI platform; local-shop promotions
- Supple — 대구치맥페스티벌 이틀 앞으로…개막식·공연 라인업 공개news — Opening ceremony content; Kolon Outdoor Music Hall lineup; games on K-Chimac Street
- Daum/News report — 비도 막지 못한 치맥 열기 (2 Jul 2026)news — Rain on opening night; booths crowded from 17:00 and tables full by 18:00; reusable cups; mats on pavements
- Kyongbuk Maeil — 내년이 기다려지는 치맥페스티벌 (8 Jul 2026)news — Festival ran 1–5 Jul 2026 in heat; fireworks at 20:00 launched from E-World across from the venue; crowds on Saturday 4 Jul; long booth queues; no attendance figure
- Herald K — 대구치맥페스티벌 오는 7월 2일 개막 (22 May 2025)news — 2025 dates 2–6 Jul; slogan; new zones; 360-degree stage; dates announced in May
- Kyongbuk Maeil — 2025 lineup and packagesnews — 2025 daily lineup; Klook/KKday packages; Korail KTX bundle; Premium Zone; accessibility services
- Aju News — 대구 대표 치맥페스티벌, 작년의 6.5% 감소한 115만 명 방문news — 2025 visitors 1.15 million; 2024 visitors 1.23 million; ₩32.3 billion visitor spending
- Kyongbuk Maeil — 2024 festival previewnews — 2024 dates 3–7 Jul; Premium Chimac Lounge 1,500 seats booked via Ticketlink/Naver; coupons; KTX bundle
- Wikipedia — Duryu Parkmap — Venue coordinates 35.848, 128.559; park in Duryu-dong, Dalseo-gu
- Wikipedia — Duryu stationmap — Duryu Station is on Daegu Metro Line 2
- Dongdaegu → Seoul Station train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departures 22:17, 22:48 KTX 82 (arr 00:27) and 22:57 KTX 84 (arr 00:42), weekdays and weekends alike
- Dongdaegu → Suseo train timetable, 16–22 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departure 23:14 (KTX-Sancheon 366, plus 390 Mon–Thu), arriving 01:06
- Korail press release: 코레일-에스알 9월 1일 하나로…안전 최우선, 더 편리한 고속철도의 시작 (31 Aug 2026)official — Integration and integrated running from 1 Sep 2026; KTX and SRT merged into KTX; average KTX fare cut about 10%; Suseo-axis seats up about 30%; 5% mileage; Korail+ app (Korail Talk + SRT app) launched 3 Aug
- Korail 열차운임/시간표 page (fare and timetable downloads)official — Lists 'KTX 운임표(2026. 9. 1. 기준)', 'ITX-마음/ITX-새마을/새마을호 운임표(2026. 9. 1. 기준)' and 'Mugunghwa/Nuriro 운임표(2025.9.27.부터)' as the current fare tables
- Korail KTX fare table, effective 1 Sep 2026 (xls)official — Standard class: Seoul–Daejeon ₩21,600 (₩16,400 on Suwon-routed KTX); Seoul–Busan ₩54,400 (₩54,000 via Seodaegu, ₩49,300 via Gupo); Seoul–Cheonan-Asan ₩12,800; Seoul–Changwon Jungang ₩47,400 / ₩47,000 via Seodaegu; Seoul–Jinju ₩53,100 / ₩52,700; Seoul–Gangneung ₩27,600; Cheongnyangni–Andong ₩27,700 (KTX-Eum); Yongsan–Jeonju ₩31,600 / ₩31,000; Yongsan–Suncheon ₩42,300 / ₩41,800;
- Korail Tickets (English booking site)official — English booking site; letskorail.com redirected to korail.com; Suseo is in the KTX station list; language menu has English, Japanese, Chinese (simplified/traditional), Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian
- Hankyung: 9월 1일부터 서울~부산 KTX 5만4400원…운임 평균 10% 인하 (31 Aug 2026)news — KTX and SRT run as KTX from 1 Sep; former SRT trainsets renamed KTX-Sancheon; Seoul–Busan ₩59,800→₩54,400, Yongsan–Gwangju Songjeong ₩46,800→₩42,000; Suseo seats +30%; booking unified in Korail+
- SBS Biz: KTX표, 이제 두 달 전에 산다…10월부터 예매기간 확대 (20 Sep 2026)news — MOLIT and Korail: from 1 Oct 2026 tickets on sale two months before departure (was one month); foreigner web page has 7 languages, with French, German and Mongolian to be added; WeChat Pay/Alipay in development
- T-money intercity bus booking (시외버스 통합예매)official — Intercity bus booking site; Busan–Daegu routes and terminals not checked (Busan Seobu (Sasang) → Jinju seen in the system)
- itwiki — 두류역map — Duryu 226: Gamsam 225 toward Munyang, Naedang 227 toward Yeungnam Univ.
- itwiki — 이곡역map — Igok 222 (Munyang side); trains terminate there until midnight
- Wikipedia — Daegu Metro Line 1map — Seobu Bus Terminal station 123 on Line 1; Banwoldang 130
What we could not confirm
- Price and booking platform of the paid main-stage seats in 2026 (sold online, sold out in 11 minutes) were not stated in our sources.
- Typical chicken and beer prices at the booths: the 2026 vendor price list is a PDF attachment that could not be read.
- Total 2026 attendance had not been published by 16 October 2026 (city figures for 2025 came out in November).
- KTX times to Dongdaegu were checked against a third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, not Korail's own search; metro transfer times are estimates.
- Pet and restroom policies were not published.
- Last Daegu Metro trains from Duryu (and the Line 1 connection at Banwoldang) and the last KTX from Dongdaegu to Seoul on the 2027 festival dates, under the timetables in force that day.
- Venue address (36 Gongwonsunhwan-ro) and first year (2013) rest on the KTO listing, which did not render in the 21 Oct 2026 audit; not yet checked against the organizer or Daegu city.
- Busan–Daegu intercity bus routes and arrival terminals were not checked.
Changes: 2026-10-16 — Full fact-first rewrite: hours, prices, stations, 2024–2027 editions, FAQs and sources. · 2026-10-16 — Rechecked against timetables, fare tables and organizer notices: conflicting dates and transport details; rail fares and train names after the 1 Sep 2026 KTX–SRT merger; last trains and buses back to Seoul. · 2026-10-18 — Added a photograph from the Korea Tourism Organization (Korea Tourism Content Lab), KOGL Type 1. · 2026-10-20 — 2027 window worded as early July (one of the two likely weeks is the second week of July). · 2026-10-21 — Corrected after an independent fact audit: last Line 2 trains from Duryu by direction and the earlier Line 1 connection (organizer's directions page); when to leave for the last KTX; 2026 plaza hours, DJ and water-party times; fireworks from E-World; STAY & PLAY eligibility; booking, crowd and 'biggest' claims; 2027 date wording; Busan bus route. · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed last-metro times (2026 organizer notice) and last-KTX times (October 2026 timetable) that may not hold in July 2027; visitors are told to check the station and the Korail app before the festival day.
