At a glance
| Dates | Expected Jul/Aug 2027Late July to early August 2027 (it would be the 23rd edition). The festival ran 1–4 August 2024 and 1–3 August 2025, then 31 July–9 August 2026 after being stretched to ten days and moved to Sanae Sports Park; the county has not said whether the ten-day format stays. Dates have come out in mid to late July (a 14 July 2024 preview; a 15 July 2026 plan briefing and 21 July 2026 dates). No 2027 announcement found as of 19 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Late July to early August 2027 (it would be the 23rd edition). The festival ran 1–4 August 2024 and 1–3 August 2025, then 31 July–9 August 2026 after being stretched to ten days and moved to Sanae Sports Park; the county has not said whether the ten-day format stays. Dates have come out in mid to late July (a 14 July 2024 preview; a 15 July 2026 plan briefing and 21 July 2026 dates). No 2027 announcement found as of 19 October 2026. |
| Weather | July average 29/21 °C (85/70 °F), 398 mm of rain August average 30/21 °C (86/70 °F), 320 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, Chuncheon station, about 25 km away. |
| Admission | No entry ticket is mentioned in any 2024–2026 report opened, and the grounds are a public sports park. The golden ring hunt cost ₩3,000 in 2026, all of it returned as Hwacheon Sarang gift vouchers you can spend on local produce and in local shops.Find the Golden Ring: ₩3,000 (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Sanae Sports Park, Sachang-ri, Sanae-myeon강원특별자치도 화천군 사내면 화악산로 998-9 |
| Nearest station | Sachang-ri Bus Terminal (Sanae-myeon has no railway station) (사창리버스터미널), Intercity buses from Dong Seoul Terminal; buses from ChuncheonIn Sachang-ri, the same village as Sanae Sports Park; the walking time to the grounds is not published |
| From Seoul | about 2 h 6 min · BusLeave from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal · One-way fare from ₩15,300Full route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Hwacheon Tomato Festival Promotion Committee, for Hwacheon County화천토마토축제추진위원회 (주최: 화천군) |
| Usual timing | Early August, across the first weekend of the month: 1–4 Aug 2024 and 1–3 Aug 2025. In 2026 it was stretched to ten days, 31 Jul–9 Aug. Dates have been public by mid to late July. Browse July / August festivals. |
| First held | 2003 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 27 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Sanae-myeon is a small mountain township in the west of Hwacheon County. Its farmers gave up corn, soybeans and cucumbers for tomatoes in the 1990s, because the big gap between day and night temperatures gives firm, long-keeping fruit sold as Hwaaksan tomatoes. Residents started a village tomato festival in 2003; from 2005 the Hwaaksan tomato growers took over the running of it, ketchup maker Ottogi has sponsored it since 2004, and it is now a joint event of the county, the farmers, the local army unit and companies. The centrepiece is 'Find the Golden Ring' (황금반지를 찾아라): you pay a small fee, climb into a large pool heaped with tomatoes too blemished or misshapen to sell, and stomp, squash and throw them while hunting for ring tokens that are swapped for real gold rings. The county buys the culls from local farms and turns the pulp into compost afterwards. Around it are a water zone with a sliding pool and water guns, tomato face painting, a farm-produce market, stage shows, a 'thousand-person table' of tomato pasta with Ottogi, and a military zone where the local unit shows its equipment. In 2026 the 22nd edition was stretched from three days to ten (31 July–9 August) and moved from the streets of Sachang-ri village to Sanae Sports Park and the stream beside it. That ended the parking jams of earlier years and added a valley water-play area, large shade canopies and delivery from village restaurants to numbered tables. The street-based editions drew about 133,000 visitors over four days in 2024 and about 120,000 over three days in 2025. Caveats: the tomato pool is the one truly unusual part and it runs on a limited schedule (only once in the morning on the hottest days of 2026); early August is hot, with about 35°C reported in 2025; programs are in Korean; and Sanae is a rural township with few buses to Seoul, so check the last bus at the terminal before staying for the evening concerts.
Highlights
- 'Find the Golden Ring': wade, stomp and throw your way through a pool of culled tomatoes to find ring tokens exchanged for pure gold rings (36 don of gold rings and about 44 tons of tomatoes in 2026)
- Water zone with a sliding pool and water-gun playground, plus a valley water-play area beside the grounds from 2026
- Waterbomb-style shows with rappers on the performance stage (1, 8 and 9 August 2026), trot concerts, a soldiers' night and a national singing contest
- 'Thousand-person table' with sponsor Ottogi: giant batches of tomato pasta shared with visitors (1,000 servings of cold tomato pasta in 2024 and 2025)
- Market of Hwaaksan highland tomatoes and other Hwacheon produce, cheaper than in shops, and tomato ice cream made by young local farmers (new in 2026)
- Military zone run by the locally based Seungri (Victory) unit with an equipment display and shooting experience; tomato face painting, sheep-farm and 119 safety experiences
Who it suits. Best for families with children and groups of friends who want a messy, hands-on summer day and do not mind being soaked in tomato juice; less suited to travelers expecting a food-tasting festival, English-language programs or a cool day out.
Getting there
From Seoul
Direct intercity bus from Dong Seoul Terminal to Sachang-ri Bus Terminal in Sanae-myeon: 11 departures a day in October 2026, scheduled at 2 h 06 m, ₩15,300. Sanae Sports Park is in the same village. Alternatively, ITX-Cheongchun from Yongsan to Chuncheon (about 1 h 40 m), then an intercity bus from Chuncheon to Sachang-ri (journey time not checked). In 2026 a foreigners-only shuttle package (Trazy) ran on 1 and 8 August, leaving Myeongdong at 08:30 and arriving at the festival at 11:00.
Last leg from Sachang-ri Bus Terminal (Sanae-myeon has no railway station)
Intercity buses from Dong Seoul Terminal; buses from Chuncheon. In Sachang-ri, the same village as Sanae Sports Park; the walking time to the grounds is not published
Festival shuttle
No county shuttle from Seoul was documented. Trazy sold a foreigners-only round-trip package on 1 and 8 August 2026: 08:00 Hongik Univ. Station Exit 4 or 08:30 Myeongdong Station Exit 2, arriving 11:00, leaving the festival at 17:00 and back about 19:00, with English-speaking staff, festival admission, a T-shirt and hat and a ₩5,000 Hwacheon voucher (price not shown once sales closed). Bookings closed 2 days ahead; full refund for cancellations 3 or more days before.
Getting home
No train serves Sanae. Buses from Sachang-ri to Dong Seoul are scheduled at about 1 h 57 m, but the last departure for the 2027 festival dates was not checked: check it at Sachang-ri Bus Terminal before the festival day. Evening stage shows start at 19:00–19:30, so for a concert night plan to stay over locally or drive.
Parking
Sanae Sports Park has its own car park, and the 2026 move there was made to end the chronic parking shortage of the street-based Sachang-ri venue; reports say it worked. No space count or parking fee was published.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Find the Golden Ring | ₩3,000 | Refunded in full as Hwacheon Sarang gift vouchers (local currency, spendable in Hwacheon) |
| Festival grounds | — | No entry ticket is mentioned in any report opened; not confirmed by the organizer |
- Booking
- No advance booking is documented for the golden ring hunt; reports describe on-site participation. Foreign visitors could book a round-trip shuttle package from Hongdae and Myeongdong through Trazy. The official site (tomatofestival.co.kr) could not be opened to confirm sign-up rules.
- English on site
- Programs are run in Korean. The Trazy package came with English-speaking staff, and foreign tourists appear in press coverage of past editions, but no on-site interpretation is documented.
- Crowds
- More than 133,000 visitors over four days in 2024 and about 120,000 over three days in 2025 (provisional counts), with numbers climbing toward the weekend: 34,500 on Friday 2 August 2024 against 7,700 on the Thursday opening day. The ten-day 2026 run spread the crowds; hundreds joined the ring hunt on the first weekend.
- Best time to go
- A weekend day for the golden ring hunt and the big stage shows (waterbomb shows on 1, 8 and 9 August 2026); arrive in the morning on hot days, when the ring hunt may run only once.
- What to bring
- A full change of clothes and underwear, a towel and toiletries (you will be soaked in tomato juice), clothes you do not mind staining, sunscreen, a hat and water; temperatures near 35°C were reported in 2025.
- Rain
- Held in all weather per the Trazy package, with changes notified for severe weather. In the 2026 heat the golden ring hunt was cut to one morning session on the hottest days.
- Toilets
- Sanae Sports Park has permanent separate men's and women's restrooms; the Trazy package notes free showers and changing rooms at the venue.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Late July to early August 2027 (it would be the 23rd edition). The festival ran 1–4 August 2024 and 1–3 August 2025, then 31 July–9 August 2026 after being stretched to ten days and moved to Sanae Sports Park; the county has not said whether the ten-day format stays. Dates have come out in mid to late July (a 14 July 2024 preview; a 15 July 2026 plan briefing and 21 July 2026 dates). No 2027 announcement found as of 19 October 2026. | expected | Not announced as of 19 October 2026. |
| 2026 | 31 Jul – 9 Aug 2026 | ended | Moved this year from the streets of Sachang-ri Culture Village to Sanae Sports Park and the stream beside it, with a valley water-play area, heat shelters and large shade canopies; numbered parasols and tables let visitors order delivery from Sachang-ri restaurants. Reports say the move ended the parking shortage of earlier years. |
| 2025 | 1–3 Aug 2025 | ended | Sachang-ri Culture Village and the surrounding town roads in Sanae-myeon |
| 2024 | 1–4 Aug 2024 | ended | Sachang-ri Culture Village festival grounds and town-centre car parks |
Nearby
- Samil Valley (삼일계곡). Mountain valley the county is tying to the sports park and the stream as one summer tourism base (2026 plan)
- Hwaaksan (화악산). The mountain whose cool highland slopes give Hwaaksan tomatoes their name; the festival grounds sit on Hwaaksan-ro
- Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival (얼음나라화천 산천어축제) — About 17 km east-northeast (straight line), in Hwacheon-eup. The county's big winter festival: ice fishing for mountain trout on the frozen Hwacheon stream in January
- Chuncheon Mime Festival (춘천마임축제) — About 28 km south-east (straight line). Spring street-theatre festival in Chuncheon, the rail gateway for buses to Sachang-ri
Questions travelers ask
When is the Hwacheon Tomato Festival 2027?
Not announced as of 19 October 2026. It ran 1–4 August 2024, 1–3 August 2025 and 31 July–9 August 2026, so late July to early August 2027 is likely. Dates have usually come out in mid to late July.
What is 'Find the Golden Ring'?
The festival's signature event: participants climb into a big pool filled with culled tomatoes and stomp, squash and throw them while searching for ring tokens that are swapped for pure gold rings. In 2026 it used 36 don of gold rings and about 44 tons of tomatoes.
How much does it cost?
No entry ticket is reported for the grounds. The golden ring hunt cost ₩3,000 in 2026, and the whole fee came back as Hwacheon Sarang gift vouchers for local shops and produce. Prices for other experiences were not published.
Is there a tomato fight like La Tomatina?
Not as a street battle. Tomato throwing happens inside the golden ring pool, where participants squash and throw tomatoes as they search; the festival also has water guns and a sliding pool.
How do I get to the Hwacheon Tomato Festival from Seoul?
Take a direct intercity bus from Dong Seoul Terminal to Sachang-ri (11 a day, about 2 h 06 m, ₩15,300); Sanae Sports Park is in the same village. Check the last bus back at Sachang-ri Bus Terminal before the festival day. Foreign visitors could also book a Trazy shuttle package from Hongdae or Myeongdong on 1 and 8 August 2026.
Where is the festival held?
Since 2026 at Sanae Sports Park (998-9 Hwaaksan-ro, Sanae-myeon, Hwacheon) and the stream beside it. Until 2025 it filled the streets of Sachang-ri Culture Village, where parking was a chronic problem.
Are there showers?
Yes. The Trazy package notes free showers and changing rooms at the venue; bring a full change of clothes, underwear and a towel.
What is the weather like during Hwacheon Tomato Festival?
July in Hwacheon: average high 29 °C (85 °F), low 21 °C (70 °F), 398 mm of rain (Chuncheon station, about 25 km away, KMA 1991–2020 normals). August in Hwacheon: average high 30 °C (86 °F), low 21 °C (70 °F), 320 mm of rain (Chuncheon station, about 25 km away, 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
19 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: medium.
- Yonhap via Supple 2026-07-21 — '황금반지 찾아라' 화천토마토축제 31일 개막…열흘간 개최news — 22nd edition, 31 Jul–9 Aug 2026 (ten days, up from three), move from Sachang-ri Culture Village to Sanae Sports Park to ease parking, six theme zones, ring hunt with 36 don of gold rings and about 44 tons of tomatoes, valley water play
- Aju News 2026-07-27 — 트로트부터 힙합·워터밤까지…화천토마토축제, 열흘간 여름 축제의 열기 달군다news — 2026 program times: 31 Jul eve 18:00 and declaration 19:30 with Kim Da-hyeon, Jeong Hae-eun, Son Bin-a; waterbomb shows 1 Aug 14:00, 8 Aug 16:00, 9 Aug 13:00 (Gaogai, Jigguin); 1 Aug 19:00 soldiers' night; 2 Aug 13:00 Taegun Noraejarang; 8 Aug 19:00 national singing contest; local performers
- YTN 2026-07-30 — 화천토마토축제 31일 개막news — 22nd edition at Sanae Sports Park, Sachang-ri, 31 Jul–9 Aug 2026, longest run so far, 36 don of gold rings, about 44 tons of culled tomatoes, adjacent valley for foot-dipping and water play
- Segye Ilbo 2026-07-31 — 시원하고 달콤한 '토마토 아이스크림' 선보여 인기news — Host Hwacheon County, organizer Hwacheon Tomato Festival Promotion Committee, sponsors; tomato ice cream from local Campari and cherry tomatoes sold by the county 4-H young farmers; move from Sachang-ri Culture Village eased parking
- Asia Economy 2026-08-01 — 화천군, 토마토축제 열흘간 '축제 열기'news — 2026 zones and contents (balloon art, face painting, 119 safety, sheep farm, equipment display and shooting), Thousand-person table on 1 Aug, hundreds in the ring hunt, valley water play from day one, shade canopies, numbered parasols for restaurant delivery, 30-plus farm products, parking problems resolved
- Yonhap via Supple 2026-08-02 — 폭염도 막지 못한 화천 토마토축제…피서객 몰려 '여름 만끽'news — Ring hunt held only once in the morning because of the heat, hundreds of participants, heat shelters and large shade canopies, valley water play, first year at Sanae Sports Park, parking shortage resolved
- MTN 2026-08-03 — 토마토 '야호~' ...화천토마토축제, 농산물 판로·상권 활성화 견인news — Ring hunt fee ₩3,000 refunded in full as Hwacheon Sarang vouchers; about ₩4 million refunded on 1 Aug; on-site sales over ₩13 million in the first two days; 2,000 boxes sold on a public home-shopping live broadcast; about 30 products; numbered parasols and delivery
- Sports Kyunghyang 2026-08-05 — 제22회 화천토마토축제news — 22nd edition 31 Jul–9 Aug 2026, extended from 3–4 days to 10; ring tokens exchanged for pure gold rings; tomatoes are unsaleable culls bought by the county and composted afterwards; produce cheaper than in shops; improved parking
- Aju News 2026-07-16 — "사내면 다시 살리자"…화천군, 토마토축제로 지역경제 회복 승부수news — 2026 basic-plan briefing on 15 July; move from road-based layout to the sports park and river; plan to link the park, the stream and Samil Valley into one tourism base; context of troop reductions in Sanae-myeon
- Kukinews 2024-07-14 — 화천토마토축제 내달 1일 개막news — 20th edition in 2024, four days from 1 to 4 August; organizers Hwacheon County and the Promotion Committee; six themes and about 40 programs; new ice foot-bath zone; preview published 14 July
- Kukinews 2024-08-03 — 화천토마토축제 황금반지를 찾아라news — 2024 four-day festival, 3 Aug the third day, last ring hunt 4 Aug 15:00; about 7,700 visitors at the 1 Aug opening and 34,500 on 2 Aug; Sachang-ri Culture Village grounds and town car parks
- Smart Today 2024-08-05 — 오뚜기와 함께한 '화천 토마토축제' 13만명 방문news — 2024: 20th edition, 1–4 Aug, theme '토마토로 하나되는 웰컴투 화천', six zones, about 40 programs, more than 133,000 visitors (provisional); Ottogi sponsor since 2004; 1,000 servings of cold tomato pasta on 2–3 Aug
- Kukinews 2025-08-01 — 화천토마토축제 개막news — 21st edition opened 1 Aug 2025 for three days at Sachang-ri Culture Village; six themes, about 40 programs; ring hunt 2 Aug 11:30 and 15:00, 3 Aug 15:00; 20 don of gold rings, 22 tons of culled tomatoes; zone contents
- Kukinews 2025-08-02 — 화천토마토축제 황금반지news — 2025 festival ended 18:00 on 3 Aug; temperatures near 35°C; more than 100,000 visitors a year; tomatoes bought under contract from local farms
- Smart Today 2025-08-04 — 오뚜기, '화천 토마토축제' 후원 성료...12만명 방문news — 2025: 21st edition, 1–3 Aug, Sachang-ri Culture Village and town roads, about 120,000 visitors (provisional), 1,000 servings of cold tomato pasta on 2–3 Aug, six zones, about 40 programs
- Dailian 2025-07-12 — "토마토가 날아다녀" 특별한 여름을 보내고 싶다면 - 강원 화천news — 21st edition 1–3 Aug 2025 (preview 12 July); participants stomp, crush and throw tomatoes in the ring-hunt pool; about 50 tons of tomatoes; sliding pool and ice foot baths; tomato pizza, juice and ice cream
- Seoul Shinmun 2012-06-01 — 토마토 축제로 대박난 화천news — Festival began in 2003 from residents' idea; 2012 was the 10th edition; Hwaaksan tomato growers ran it from 2005; area grew corn, soybeans and cucumbers until 1992, then switched to tomatoes for the day-night temperature gap; tomato throwing
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 사내체육공원kto — Sanae Sports Park address 화악산로 998-9, coordinates 38.0618/127.5257, phone 033-440-4550~3, parking, separate restrooms, used as the tomato festival venue; about 17 km from the Hwacheon stream grounds (38.1126/127.7099) and 28 km from Chuncheon's mime venue (37.8731/127.7278) by straight line from these coordinates
- Dong Seoul → Sachang-ri intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, last modified 2026-10-12)other — 11 buses a day: 07:05, 09:50, 10:40, 11:30, 12:40, 14:00, 15:05, 16:05, 17:10, 18:05, 19:30; scheduled 2 h 06 m; adult fare ₩15,300
- Sachang-ri → Dong Seoul intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, last modified 2026-10-05)other — 11 buses a day from 07:00; last departures 16:40 and 19:20 (arrives 21:17); scheduled 1 h 57 m; adult fare ₩15,300
- Trazy — 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival Shuttle Bus Package (from Seoul)other — Foreigners-only package on 1 and 8 Aug 2026: 08:00 Hongik Univ. Stn Exit 4, 08:30 Myeongdong Stn Exit 2, arrival 11:00, return 17:00, drop-off 19:00; English-speaking staff, admission, T-shirt and hat, ₩5,000 voucher; free showers and changing rooms; held in all weather; booking up to 2 days ahead, full refund 3+ days before
- Tourvis — 화천토마토축제 2026other — 2026 dates 31 Jul–9 Aug, declaration 19:30 on 31 Jul, official homepage tomatofestival.co.kr, Sachang-ri bus terminal as the nearest bus hub with buses from Chuncheon, Ottogi sponsor since 2004
- travelmapjourney — 화천 산천어축제 2026blog — ITX-Cheongchun from Yongsan to Chuncheon, about 1 h 40 m
- Hwacheon County photo archive — 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival (opening 31 Jul, ring hunt 9 Aug)municipal — Dated county photo entries: 2026 opening ceremony 31 Jul 2026 and ring-hunt 9 Aug 2026
- Hwacheon County (English) — Tomato Festivalmunicipal — Held every August in Sachang-ri, Sanae-myeon; organized by the Hwacheon Tomato Festival Promotion Committee; homepage www.tomatofestival.co.kr
- VISITKOREA — Hwacheon Tomato Festivalkto — Organizer and phone +82-33-440-2912; listing still shows the 2024 dates
- Korea.net (MCST) — 화천토마토축제 여름 판타지 (8 Aug 2025)ministry — 21st festival in 2025, three days ending 3 August
What we could not confirm
- The official site (tomatofestival.co.kr, named by Tourvis) could not be opened, so daily opening hours, the full 2026 timetable and fees for the water zone and other experiences are unconfirmed.
- No 2027 dates, and no word on whether the ten-day format at Sanae Sports Park continues, as of 19 October 2026.
- 2026 total visitor count not found.
- Golden ring hunt fee for 2024 and 2025, and the 2026 session times (Yonhap reports a single morning session on hot days).
- Whether general entry to the grounds is free: no ticket is mentioned, but no source states it outright.
- Tomato quantity in 2025: Kukinews reported 22 tons on the day, a Dailian preview said about 50 tons.
- Walking time from Sachang-ri Bus Terminal to Sanae Sports Park, and Chuncheon–Sachang-ri bus times.
- Whether extra buses or a county shuttle from Seoul ran during the festival; the Trazy package price was not shown after sales closed.
- Japanese and Chinese names not verified; the festival is not in the KTO TourAPI snapshot (retrieved 18 Oct 2026) and no KTO page was found.
- Whether stalls and the ring-hunt desk accept foreign cards.
- Last bus back from Sachang-ri to Dong Seoul on the 2027 festival dates under the timetable in force that day.
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-20 — Last bus timing clarified (19:20, before the evening concerts end); show name romanised as Taegun Noraejarang. · 2026-10-21 — Source check: added Hwacheon County, KTO and ministry sources for the organizer and the 2025–2026 editions. · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed first and last bus clock times from the October 2026 timetable, which may not hold for the 2027 edition; visitors are told to check the last bus at Sachang-ri Bus Terminal.
