At a glance
| Dates | Expected May/Jun 2027Saturday 5 – Saturday 12 June 2027. Dano (5th day of the 5th lunar month) falls on Wednesday 9 June 2027 according to the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute calendar, and the festival has run from four days before to three days after Dano in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The 2025 programme was reported on 1 May, so expect 2027 details by late April or May. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Saturday 5 – Saturday 12 June 2027. Dano (5th day of the 5th lunar month) falls on Wednesday 9 June 2027 according to the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute calendar, and the festival has run from four days before to three days after Dano in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The 2025 programme was reported on 1 May, so expect 2027 details by late April or May. |
| Weather | May average 23/13 °C (73/56 °F), 79 mm of rain June average 25/18 °C (78/64 °F), 119 mm of rainComfortable: light layers. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Gangneung station. |
| Admission | Free entry to the grounds, rites, performances and experience village; food, market purchases and some activities are paid.General admission: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Namdaecheon festival grounds (Gangneung Danoje altar and Danoje Training Center, formerly the Dano Culture Center)강원특별자치도 강릉시 단오장길 1 |
| Nearest station | Gangneung Station (강릉역), KTX Gyeonggang Line (Seoul–Gangneung)Not a published walking route; use the festival shuttle (2026) or a taxi to the Namdaecheon grounds |
| From Seoul | about 2 h · KTX + BusLeave from Seoul StationFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Gangneung Danoje Festival Committee (with the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Society)(사)강릉단오제위원회 / (사)강릉단오제보존회 |
| Usual timing | Eight days around Dano, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, running from four days before to three days after it (15–22 June 2026 around Dano on 19 June; 27 May–3 June 2025; 6–13 June 2024). The lunar date shifts between late May and late June; the programme is published by April or May. Browse May / June festivals. |
| Last checked | 16 October 2026Checked against 26 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Gangneung Danoje is a town festival that has kept its ritual core: a sequence of Confucian and shamanic rites to the mountain god of Daegwallyeong and the town's guardian spirits, first definitely recorded in 1603 and described by the scholar Heo Gyun in 1611. It was named Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 13 in 1967 and inscribed by UNESCO in 2005. The public part happens on the gravel banks of the Namdaecheon stream, a short ride south of Gangneung Station, where a sacred altar (danoje-dan), performance stages, an experience village, wrestling and swing grounds and a sprawling nanjang market are set up for eight days around Dano. Every morning from 10:00 the shamans begin the day's Danogut at the altar and work through named rites until early evening; the Gwanno mask drama, a wordless masked play, is performed several times a day on the Arimadang stage; a torch-lit street parade (Sintongdaegil) winds from the old government office through the town centre; and fireworks over Wolhwagyo Bridge open and close the week. The 2026 edition, themed 'Pullim' (release), offered 71 programmes in 13 categories and invited troupes from Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Mongolia. Expect big crowds (about 700,000 visitors in 2024) and little English signage; the rites are long and repetitive if you do not know what you are watching, so pick a couple of timed slots rather than trying to see everything. The experience village lets you wash your hair in iris water, taste the festival's sinju rice liquor and surichwi rice cakes, and paint a Dano fan.
Highlights
- Danogut shamanic rites at the festival altar every day from 10:00, with named rites through the day and the Songsinje farewell rite at 18:00 on the final day
- Gwanno mask drama, a masked play without dialogue, performed two to three times daily on the Arimadang stage (slots at 18:00 and 20:00 on Dano day in 2026)
- Sintongdaegil torch parade from Gangneung Daedohobu Gwana through Okcheon Ogeori and Geumseong-ro to Seongnae-dong Plaza, 18:00–22:00 on 17 June 2026
- Fireworks over Wolhwagyo Bridge at 22:00 on opening night and 21:00 on the closing weekend
- Dano experience village 10:00–21:00: iris-water hair washing, sinju liquor and surichwi rice-cake tasting, Dano fan painting, hanbok dressing, bracelet making
- Invited troupes from Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Mongolia alongside Gangwon farmers' bands and sijo singing contests
Who it suits. Best for travelers interested in living folk religion and traditional performance, and for families who want hands-on activities and a big night market; less suited to visitors expecting a polished stage show or English commentary, because the rites run for hours in Korean and the site is a working riverside fairground.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Seoul Station to Gangneung Station, about 2 hours (organizer's directions page); or express bus from Dong Seoul Terminal, about 3 hours. From Gangneung Station a festival shuttle ran to the Namdaecheon grounds in 2026; otherwise take a short taxi ride to Danojang-gil 1.
From Incheon Airport
AREX or airport limousine bus to Seoul Station, then the KTX to Gangneung (about 2 hours), then the festival shuttle or a taxi.
Last leg from Gangneung Station
KTX Gyeonggang Line (Seoul–Gangneung). Not a published walking route; use the festival shuttle (2026) or a taxi to the Namdaecheon grounds
Festival shuttle
In 2026 a free shuttle ran about every 20 minutes between the Gangneung Station public car park and the Namdaecheon grounds (visitor reports, 15–16 June 2026); the committee's site published no timetable or stops, and the 2027 shuttle is not announced.
Getting home
KTX-Eum trains from Gangneung to Cheongnyangni and Seoul Station take about 1 h 40 m–2 h; check the last train in the Korail+ app (코레일+) or at the station before you go. Daily programs end at 21:00 and Gangneung Station is a short taxi ride from the grounds. The closing rites end about 19:00–20:00. Fireworks run 21:00–22:00; to see them, book a late train in advance once you have checked it, or stay overnight in Gangneung.
Parking
Not published by the committee. In 2026 visitor reports said the West Gangneung (서강릉) car park and the KTX Gangneung Station car park were free, with the festival shuttle to the grounds, and that driving into the grounds area was slow. 2027 arrangements are not announced.
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 (KTO listing and 2026 visitor report) |
| Experience village activities | — | Individual fees are not listed on the official experience-village page |
| Food court for hanbok wearers | — | 10% discount plus a commemorative badge for visitors in hanbok (2026) |
- Booking
- Nothing needs booking: rites, performances and the experience village are walk-up, and no tickets are sold. The committee's site (Korean only) posts the day-by-day schedule and a downloadable full timetable.
- English on site
- The official site is Korean-only; KTO's English page and the 1330 travel hotline (English, Japanese, Chinese) cover basics. Rites and mask drama are performed in Korean or without dialogue; no interpretation is published.
- Crowds
- About 700,000 visitors over eight days in 2024; Dano day itself, the evening parade and the night market are the busiest times.
- Best time to go
- Dano day (19 June in 2026) for the fullest rite sequence; evenings for the Gwanno mask drama and the nanjang market; opening night 22:00 and the closing weekend 21:00 for fireworks.
- What to bring
- Wear hanbok for the food-court discount and badge; sun protection for daytime rites on the open riverbank.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Saturday 5 – Saturday 12 June 2027. Dano (5th day of the 5th lunar month) falls on Wednesday 9 June 2027 according to the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute calendar, and the festival has run from four days before to three days after Dano in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The 2025 programme was reported on 1 May, so expect 2027 details by late April or May. | expected | No 2027 announcement had been published by the committee as of 16 October 2026. |
| 2026 | 15–22 Jun 2026 | ended | Theme 'Pullim' (풀림 / 'Unfolding the Spirit of Dano'); 13 categories and 71 programmes (KTO); international troupes from Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Mongolia. The official schedule lists fireworks on 15 and 21 June in the day-by-day table while a summary line gives 22 June for the second show. |
| 2025 | 27 May – 3 Jun 2025 | ended | Seoul Shinmun (24 May 2025) gives 27 May–3 June in the body text and '28th, eight days' in the lead; Kukinews (1 May 2025) states 27 May–3 June. |
| 2024 | 6–13 Jun 2024 | ended | About 700,000 visitors (reported May 2025). |
Before or after the festival
Places you can fit in before or after the festival without missing the shuttle or the last train or bus back.
The early-Joseon house where the scholar Yi I (Yulgok) was born, a designated Treasure for its architecture, with the Gangneung City Museum of local folk collections in the same grounds. Go in the morning, then head to the riverbank for the afternoon rites and the evening mask drama: it opens at 09:00 and sells tickets until 17:00 (adult ₩3,000), so it does not fit after the festival. Tip: Yi I and his mother Shin Saimdang are the faces on the ₩5,000 and ₩50,000 notes.
Getting there: Taxi or city bus from Gangneung Station or the town centre (not on the festival shuttle); check the route in Kakao Map before you go
The restored government compound of old Gangneung, a Historic Site whose Imyeonggwan Gate is a National Treasure and the only Goryeo-era building in Gangwon, with Chilsadang, the magistrate's office, in the same grounds. Entry is free and it lies just north of the stream, so it fits a break between rites; opening hours were not confirmed, so go in daylight. Tip: the Sintongdaegil torch parade sets off from the old government office, so it is the place to start on parade night.
Getting there: On foot from the grounds across the Namdaecheon into the old town (Imyeong-ro 131beon-gil); walking time not checked; free
Gangneung's central traditional market (fresh and dried seafood, clothing, hanbok), beside Wolhwa-geori, a park walk on the old railway line that runs from the Namdaecheon to Gangneung Station. Eat here after the evening programme and walk on to the train; hours and closing days vary by stall, so do not leave it too late, and check the last train in the Korail+ app (코레일+) first. Tip: the area around Wolhwagyo Bridge by the market is a good spot to watch the festival fireworks.
Getting there: On foot from the grounds: about 5 minutes from Wolhwagyo Bridge across the stream, then Wolhwa-geori to Gangneung Station
Questions travelers ask
When is Gangneung Danoje 2027?
Expected 5–12 June 2027. Dano, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, falls on Wednesday 9 June 2027, and the festival has run from four days before to three days after Dano in each of 2024, 2025 and 2026 (15–22 June 2026).
Is Gangneung Danoje free?
Yes. KTO lists admission as free and a 2026 visitor report confirms open entry to the Namdaecheon grounds. You pay only for food, market goods and some experience-village activities.
What is Dano and why Gangneung?
Dano is a traditional Korean festival day on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Gangneung's version, with rites to the Daegwallyeong mountain god, is first clearly recorded in 1603, was designated Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 13 in 1967 and UNESCO-inscribed in 2005.
How do I get from Gangneung Station to the festival?
The KTX from Seoul takes about 2 hours. In 2026 a festival shuttle linked Gangneung Station with the Namdaecheon grounds; otherwise take a taxi to Danojang-gil 1, the Danoje Training Center beside the altar.
What should I not miss?
The Danogut rites at the altar from 10:00, the Gwanno mask drama on the Arimadang stage (evening slots), the Sintongdaegil torch parade through the town centre (17 June 2026, 18:00), and fireworks at Wolhwagyo Bridge.
Can I try traditional Dano activities?
Yes. The experience village runs 10:00–21:00 daily with iris-water hair washing, sinju rice liquor and surichwi rice-cake tasting, Dano fan painting, hanbok dressing, bracelet making and nail dyeing with balsam.
How long does the festival last?
Eight days, from four days before Dano to three days after. The 2026 edition ran Monday 15 to Monday 22 June with Dano on Friday 19 June.
What is the weather like during Gangneung Danoje Festival?
May in Gangneung: average high 23 °C (73 °F), low 13 °C (56 °F), 79 mm of rain (Gangneung station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). June in Gangneung: average high 25 °C (78 °F), low 18 °C (64 °F), 119 mm of rain (Gangneung station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Comfortable: light layers.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
16 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.
- Gangneung Danoje Festival — official site (home)official — Organizer, contact, address Danojang-gil 1, directions (KTX about 2 h from Seoul Station, express bus about 3 h from Dong Seoul), Google Maps embed coordinates 37.7482/128.8920, programme entries 15–22 June 2026
- Official site — 2026 schedule (행사일정)official — Day-by-day 2026 programme: Danogut rites, Gwanno mask drama times, Sintongdaegil parade route and time, fireworks, Songsinje
- Official site — Dano experience village (단오체험촌)official — Experience list and hours 10:00–21:00, 15–22 June 2026; no prices listed
- Official site — venue guide (행사장안내)official — Venue map is an image only; organizer address and contacts
- Korea Tourism Organization (Korean) — 강릉단오제 2026kto — 2026 dates 15–22 June, venue Namdaecheon grounds, address, free admission, hours 10:00–21:00, host/organizer, theme 'Pullim', 13 categories/71 programmes, international troupes
- Korea Tourism Organization (English) — Gangneung Danoje Festivalkto — UNESCO 2005, Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 13 (1967), free admission, 1330 hotline languages
- KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) — 2027 calendar dataother — Dano 2027 = 9 June (Wed); Buddha's Birthday 2027 = 13 May (Thu)
- month2k — June 2027 lunar calendarother — Cross-check: 9 June 2027 is lunar 5/5 (Dano)
- Sayhikorean — 'Gangneung Danoje opens' (17 June 2026)news — Dano on 19 June 2026; festival through 22 June; about 70 programmes; hanbok 10% food-court discount and badge; international troupes
- Daum cafe visitor post on 2026 Gangneung Danoje (15 June 2026)blog — Free admission; shuttle between Gangneung Station and the Namdaecheon venue; KTX ~2 h, Dong Seoul bus 2.5–3 h
- Kukinews — 2025 Gangneung Danoje preview (1 May 2025)news — 2025 dates 27 May–3 June; about 700,000 visitors in 2024; programme additions
- Seoul Shinmun — 2025 Gangneung Danoje opens (24 May 2025)news — 2025 dates, 62 programmes, Namdaecheon venue, 'Dano Byeolgok'
- Yonhap via fnnews — 2024 Gangneung Danoje plans (9 May 2024)news — 2024 dates 6–13 June, theme, parade expansion, venue
- Wikipedia — Gangneung Danoje Festivalother — First definite record 1603, Heo Gyun 1611, UNESCO 2005, national designation 1967 No. 13, ritual structure
- Gangneung → Seoul Station 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 — 14 trains a day; last 20:30, 21:33 and 22:27 KTX-Eum 828 (arr 00:25), the same every day
- Gangneung → Cheongnyangni 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 22:27 KTX-Eum 828 (arr 00:04); Fri–Sun also 22:00 KTX-Eum 872 (arr 23:39)
- Gangneung City tourism — 강릉단오제전수교육관 (강릉단오문화관)municipal — One facility at Danojang-gil 1 with both names
- 위키백과 — 강릉단오제전수교육관other — Opened 19 Feb 2004 as 강릉단오문화관; renamed 강릉단오제전수교육관 on 4 Jul 2017
- ktriptips (KTO TourAPI mirror) — 강릉단오제전수교육관kto — Current name and address Danojang-gil 1
- KONEST — 江陵端午祭 (Japanese travel site)other — Uses the old name 江陵端午文化館 as the venue heading
- KTO cultural facility data — 강릉시 오죽헌/시립박물관 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Ojukheon: birthplace of Yi I (Yulgok), designated Treasure for its early-Joseon architecture, with the Gangneung City Museum; open 09:00–18:00, tickets sold until 17:00; adult ₩3,000 (as cited on our Gangneung Coffee Festival page)
- telltrip — 강릉대도호부 관아 (22 Jun 2026, updated 10 Aug 2026)other — Daedohobu Gwana: Historic Site, Imyeonggwan Gate National Treasure, Chilsadang; free admission; Imyeong-ro 131beon-gil in the old town (as cited on our Gangwon Handon Festa page)
- 서울신문 — 임영관·월화거리 (19 Mar 2026)news — Imyeonggwan Gate: Goryeo-era, the only Goryeo building in Gangwon, National Treasure (as cited on our Gangwon Handon Festa page)
- MTN News, 29 Sep 2026: '여행가는 달' 10월…강릉은 국수·커피, 동해는 인증샷news — Wolhwa-geori is a walking trail on the former railway line from Gangneung Station to the Namdaecheon stream, next to Jungang Market
- travelmapjourney: 강릉시장, 중앙시장·주문진 선택 (14 Oct 2026)blog — Jungang Market's main goods (fresh and dried seafood, clothing, hanbok); opening hours and closing days vary by stall
- fanmaum (community post, 16 June 2026) — 2026 강릉단오제 guideblog — 2026: free West Gangneung (서강릉) and KTX Gangneung Station car parks with a free shuttle between the station car park and the Danoje grounds about every 20 minutes; heavy traffic near the grounds; Jungang Market about 5 minutes on foot from Wolhwagyo Bridge; the Wolhwagyo area near the market as a fireworks viewing spot
What we could not confirm
- Prices of individual experience-village activities (not listed on the official page)
- Distance and city-bus routes from Gangneung Station and the bus terminal to the Namdaecheon grounds; 2027 shuttle timetable and stops (2026 details come from visitor reports only)
- 2027 parking arrangements (2026 free outer car parks come from a visitor report only)
- Whether the second fireworks show in 2026 was on 21 or 22 June (the official schedule shows both)
- Route from Busan (no source opened)
- Last KTX-Eum back from Gangneung to Seoul on the festival dates under the timetable in force that day (Korail adjusted the Gangneung Line's last up train in a notice of 21 Oct 2026).
- Walking times from the grounds to Daedohobu Gwana and along Wolhwa-geori to Gangneung Station; Daedohobu Gwana opening hours.
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 figures and claims; 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. · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed last-train and last-bus clock times taken from the October 2026 timetable (next edition months away); the page now gives journey times and says to check the last train in the Korail app or at the station or terminal. · 2026-10-31 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: 2026 shuttle frequency and free outer car parks added from visitor reports (no clock times), Korail+ app wording in the last-train text; prices: no change (entry free, no festival fees quoted)
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