At a glance
| Dates | Expected Sep/Oct 2027A weekend in September or October 2027, probably at Yes Park again, if the recent pattern holds (late October in 2023 and 2026, mid-September in 2025). 2027 dates not announced as of 18 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: A weekend in September or October 2027, probably at Yes Park again, if the recent pattern holds (late October in 2023 and 2026, mid-September in 2025). 2027 dates not announced as of 18 October 2026. |
| Weather | September average 26/15 °C (79/59 °F), 153 mm of rain October average 20/7 °C (69/45 °F), 51 mm of rainMild days, cold evenings: a jacket for after dark. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Icheon station. |
| Admission | Free. Food trucks, flea-market goods and some experiences (such as horse-riding) may be paid; prices were not published.Entry: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Icheon Ceramic Art Village (Yes Park)경기도 이천시 신둔면 도자예술로62번길 113-71 |
| Nearest station | Sindundoyechon Station (신둔도예촌역), Gyeonggang Line (metro from Pangyo, K416)Not a comfortable walk; take bus 24 or 24-1 or a taxi to Yes Park (ride time not published) |
| From Seoul | Not published · Subway + BusLeave from Central Seoul · Back to Seoul the same nightFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Icheon City이천시 |
| Usual timing | A weekend in autumn at Icheon Ceramic Art Village (Yes Park): one day on 28 Oct 2023 (as the Icheon Healing Pet Fair), 13–14 Sep 2025 and 24–25 Oct 2026. The 2024 dates were not verified. Browse September / October festivals. |
| First held | 2023 |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026Checked against 28 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Icheon, the ceramics town south-east of Seoul, began holding a pet event in 2023 as part of a plan to make the city friendlier to travellers with pets. The first, a one-day Icheon Healing Pet Fair on 28 October 2023, was staged at the Grand Performance Hall of Icheon Ceramic Art Village, better known as Yes Park, a village of about 300 artists' studios spread over about 410,000 m² in Sindun-myeon. The 2025 edition, counted as the third, was held at the same venue and built around a national dog agility championship in mid-September. The 2026 edition moves back to late October and runs for two days, 24–25 October, 10:00–17:00, with free entry.
The programme is aimed at dogs and the people who walk them. Saturday opens at 14:00 with a talk concert by Kim Myung-cheol, a veterinarian nicknamed the 'Cat President', and the two days share lectures on behaviour correction, grooming, dog fitness and senior-dog care, dog massage classes, group walks along the Hakamcheon stream and a 'Daengdaengi' autumn sports day with four events. Around them are a dog-only playground of about 150 m², a picnic zone for owners, booths for grooming, caricatures and AI behaviour checks, photo zones, a stamp tour with prizes, horse-riding (Icheon is a designated horse-industry zone), more than ten food trucks and a flea market of about 20 local small businesses. Sunday ends with a prize draw and closing ceremony. Yes Park runs its own 'Art Road Autumn Walk' (예술로 가을산책), with a ceramics market, on the same weekend.
Festival information is in Korean only, and some classes take sign-ups in advance on the Icheon City website, although on-site registration on the day is also accepted. Yes Park is a short ride from Sindundoyechon Station on the Gyeonggang Line, so it is an easy day trip from Seoul by metro and bus, and visitors without a dog can still enjoy the market, the food trucks and the studios.
Highlights
- Free entry, 10:00–17:00 on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026, at Icheon Ceramic Art Village (Yes Park)
- Opening at 14:00 on 24 October with a talk concert by veterinarian Kim Myung-cheol ('Cat President')
- 'Daengdaengi' autumn sports day for dogs with four events, plus group walking classes along the Hakamcheon stream on both days
- Lectures on behaviour correction, grooming, dog fitness and senior-dog care, and dog massage classes
- Dog-only playground of about 150 m², picnic zone, photo zones and a stamp tour with prizes
- More than ten food trucks, a flea market of about 20 local small businesses, horse-riding and Yes Park's own 'Art Road Autumn Walk' ceramics market the same weekend
Who it suits. Best for dog owners living in or visiting Korea with their pet, and for families who want a relaxed autumn day among potters' studios within reach of Seoul; less suited to travellers without a dog looking for a big show, since most lectures and contests are Korean-language and dog-centred.
Getting there
From Seoul
Metro: Shinbundang Line from Gangnam to Pangyo (about 14 minutes), then the Gyeonggang Line toward Yeoju to Sindundoyechon (Sindun Ceramic Village) Station, one stop before Icheon (Pangyo to Icheon is 35 minutes). From the station take bus 24 or 24-1 or a taxi to Yes Park. Bus: intercity buses run from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Icheon Bus Terminal about every 30 minutes (just over an hour); continue by taxi. Car: Yes Park is about 5 minutes from Seo-Icheon IC on the Jungbu Expressway.
From Busan
KTX from Busan Station to Seoul Station (about 2 h 30 m; ₩54,400 in standard class since the 1 September 2026 KTX–SRT merger), then as from Seoul via Gangnam, Pangyo and the Gyeonggang Line to Sindundoyechon.
From Incheon Airport
AREX to Seoul Station, subway to Gangnam, the Shinbundang Line to Pangyo and the Gyeonggang Line to Sindundoyechon Station, then bus 24 or 24-1 or a taxi to Yes Park.
Last leg from Sindundoyechon Station
Gyeonggang Line (metro from Pangyo, K416). Not a comfortable walk; take bus 24 or 24-1 or a taxi to Yes Park (ride time not published)
Festival shuttle
No festival shuttle was announced in the 2026 sources checked.
Getting home
The festival closes at 17:00. Gyeonggang Line trains toward Pangyo run until late evening; check the last one from Sindundoyechon in the Korail+ app (코레일+) or at the station before you go. Evening times of buses 24 and 24-1 to the station were not verified; a taxi is the fallback.
Parking
Yes Park has five public car parks (fees not stated); festival parking for 2026 was not 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free |
- Booking
- No booking is needed to enter. Programmes such as classes and the sports day take advance sign-ups on the Icheon City website, and on-site registration on the day is also accepted.
- English on site
- No English-language information or programme was found in the sources checked; expect Korean-only lectures and announcements.
- Best time to go
- Saturday 24 October from 14:00 for the opening talk concert; Sunday 25 October for the dog fitness and senior-dog lectures and the closing prize draw.
- What to bring
- Leash, harness, waste bags and water for your dog, a name tag with your phone number, a picnic mat for the picnic zone, and comfortable shoes for the spread-out village.
- Pets
- Dogs are the guests of honour. The ministry asks visitors to keep leashes short in crowds, ask before approaching other dogs, pick up waste at once and fit a name tag with the owner's contact; at the 2025 agility event entrants signed a safety pledge and kept dogs leashed.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | A weekend in September or October 2027, probably at Yes Park again, if the recent pattern holds (late October in 2023 and 2026, mid-September in 2025). 2027 dates not announced as of 18 October 2026. | expected | The 2025 dates were public by July 2025 and the 2026 dates by September 2026. |
| 2026 | 24–25 Oct 2026 | ended | Around the Grand Performance Hall (대공연장) of Icheon Ceramic Art Village (Yes Park), 113-71 Dojayesul-ro 62beon-gil, Sindun-myeon. |
| 2025 | 13–14 Sep 2025 | ended | Around the Grand Performance Hall of Icheon Ceramic Art Village (Yes Park) |
| 2023 | 28 Oct 2023 | ended | Yes Park Grand Performance Hall and lawn |
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.
- Yes Park craft studios and Art Road market (이천도자예술마을 예스파크)Before or after
The festival's host village is also a working craft quarter of more than 200 artists' studios, galleries and shops, mostly ceramics, where you look into kilns and workshops free of charge; some studios run classes such as wheel throwing. This weekend it also holds its 'Art Road Autumn Walk' ceramics market. Browse in the morning before Saturday's 14:00 opening concert or after the 17:00 close; each studio sets its own hours. Ask before taking a dog into a studio full of pottery.
Getting there: On foot within Yes Park from the festival area around the Grand Performance Hall; free
Questions travelers ask
When and where is the Icheon Pet Festival 2026?
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026, 10:00–17:00, around the Grand Performance Hall of Icheon Ceramic Art Village (Yes Park), 113-71 Dojayesul-ro 62beon-gil, Sindun-myeon, Icheon.
Is the Icheon Pet Festival free?
Yes, entry is free. Food trucks, flea-market goods and some experiences may cost money; prices were not published.
Do I need to register my dog in advance?
Not to enter. Classes and the dog sports day take advance sign-ups on the Icheon City website, and on-site registration on the day is also accepted. Enquiries: 031-645-3683.
How do I get there from Seoul by public transport?
Shinbundang Line from Gangnam to Pangyo (about 14 minutes), the Gyeonggang Line to Sindundoyechon Station, one stop before Icheon, then bus 24 or 24-1 or a taxi to Yes Park.
Can I go without a dog?
Yes. The flea market, food trucks, horse-riding, photo zones and Yes Park's studios and 'Art Road Autumn Walk' ceramics market are open to everyone; the first edition in 2023 also had programmes for people without pets.
What are the rules for dogs?
Keep the leash short in crowds, ask before approaching another dog, pick up waste immediately and take an anxious dog somewhere quiet. The ministry also asks owners to register pets and fit a name tag with their contact details.
Who is speaking at the 2026 festival?
Veterinarian Kim Myung-cheol, known as the 'Cat President', gives a talk concert at the opening at 14:00 on 24 October, according to Icheon City and the agriculture ministry.
What is the weather like during Icheon Pet Festival?
September in Icheon: average high 26 °C (79 °F), low 15 °C (59 °F), 153 mm of rain (Icheon station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). October in Icheon: average high 20 °C (69 °F), low 7 °C (45 °F), 51 mm of rain (Icheon station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Mild days, cold evenings: a jacket for after dark.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
22 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.
- KTO TourAPI listing 2026 이천펫축제 (contentId 3019085)kto — Dates 24–25 Oct 2026, 10:00–17:00, free, venue 이천도자예술마을(예스파크), address 도자예술로62번길 113-71, coordinates 37.292602, 127.382674, organizer Icheon City, phone 031-645-3683; flea market, citizen programmes, concurrent 'Art Road Autumn Walk'
- KTO tourist data — 2026 이천펫축제 (ktriptips mirror of contentId 3019085, page titled 2023 이천힐링펫페어)kto — Day-by-day 2026 programme (guest lecture, behaviour-correction, grooming, fitness and senior-dog lectures, dog massage, group walks, sports day, prize draw and closing); playground, booths, picnic and photo zones, stamp tour; first edition at the Yes Park concert-hall lawn as part of the pet-friendly tourism plan; Icheon Ceramic Village 271 m
- iNews24 — '이천펫축제' 내달 24일 개막 (30 Sep 2026)news — 24–25 Oct 2026 at Yes Park; 14:00 opening talk concert by veterinarian Kim Myung-cheol; Hakamcheon walking class; four-event dog sports day; five experience booths; 150 m² dog playground; picnic zone; 10+ food trucks; flea market of about 20 teams; horse-riding; Icheon stamp tour; Art Road Autumn Walk with ceramics market; advance sign-up on the city website and on-site registration
- Vision21 News — 2026 이천펫축제 announcementnews — Two days, 24–25 Oct 2026, at Yes Park; aim of a mature pet culture; flea market and citizen programmes; concurrent Art Road Autumn Walk
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs — 선선한 바람따라 함께 걷는 반려동물과의 가을소풍 (press release, 13 Oct 2026)ministry — 2026 Icheon Pet Festival 24–25 Oct in Gyeonggi-do among autumn pet festivals; petiquette: short leash in crowds, ask before approaching, pick up waste, move anxious pets somewhere quiet
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs — press release attachment (13 Oct 2026)ministry — Venue 이천도자예술마을 대공연장; programme: talk concert by veterinarian Kim Myung-cheol, walking class, talent contest, playground
- Daily Vet — 가을철 반려동물축제에서 펫티켓을 지켜주세요 (14 Oct 2026)news — Ministry list with the 2026 Icheon Pet Festival on 24–25 Oct; register pets and update details; secure leash or harness and a name tag with owner contact
- Popga — 2026 이천펫축제 listingother — 24–25 Oct 2026, 10:00–17:00, free, phone 031-645-3683; lists a veterinarian talk concert by Seol Chae-hyun 14:30–15:30 (conflicts with the city's announcement)
- 축제.com — 2025 이천펫축제 listing (shows 2026 details)other — 24–25 Oct 2026, 10:00–17:00, free, Icheon City as host and organizer, 031-645-3683, day-by-day programme
- Kukinews — 이천시, 제1회 '이천힐링펫페어' 개최 (5 Oct 2023)news — First edition, Icheon Healing Pet Fair, on the 28th (October 2023) at the Yes Park Grand Performance Hall; behaviour correction, health consultations, grooming, pet-food cooking, crafts, disc-dog contest, adoption, healing concert, flea market, food trucks
- Kyeonggi Ilbo — 제3회 이천펫축제 '어질리티 전국대회' 9월13일 개최 (21 Jul 2025)news — Third edition 13–14 Sep 2025 at the Yes Park Grand Performance Hall; about 80 agility teams; awards 16:00 on 13 Sep; agility experience 14 Sep; eye-contact contest, mini sports day, free health checks, grooming; safety pledge and leash rules
- Metro Shinmun — 제3회 이천펫축제 (1 Sep 2025)news — 13–14 Sep 2025 around the Yes Park performance hall; agility championship with 122 teams; adoption campaign with Gyeonggi pet shelter Maru; Woljeon Museum of Art drawing class; Simmons Terrace promotion; Art Road 62 Market; photo of the 2024 festival
- Pressian — 제38회 이천도자기축제 (18 Apr 2024)news — Icheon Ceramics Festival 2024 (38th) from 25 Apr to 6 May at Yes Park and Sagimakgol pottery village
- 축제.com — 이천도자예술마을 예스파크other — About 410,000 m² village with about 300 studios (ceramics, crafts, art, music, photography), shops and cafés; open all year, studio hours vary; five public car parks; about 5 minutes by car from Seo-Icheon IC; phone 031-631-5677
- itwiki — 신둔도예촌역 (Sindundoyechon Station)map — Gyeonggang Line K416, 30.5 km from Pangyo, between Gonjiam and Icheon (7.8 km); opened 24 Sep 2016; Exit 1 to Sindun-myeon office and Sindun Sports Park
- mom-mom.net — Icheon Ceramic Village Yes Parkother — Sindun Ceramic Village Station then bus 24 or 24-1; free entry; studio classes
- Wikivoyage — Icheonother — Buses from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Icheon Bus Terminal about every 30 minutes, just over an hour; Seolbong Park about 20 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by taxi from the town centre
- KTO tourist data — 利川陶磁器祭り (ktriptips mirror, Japanese)kto — Japanese venue name 利川陶磁器芸術村 and place names イチョン市 (利川), シンドゥン面
- KTO tourist data — 利川陶瓷器節 (ktriptips mirror, Traditional Chinese)kto — Traditional Chinese venue name 利川陶瓷藝術村 and address 京畿道利川市新屯面
- Korail — 경강선 전동열차 시각표 (2026.3.23.부터), xlsxofficial — Gyeonggang Line 판교(신판교)→이천: 35 min on every train; 62 weekday departures 05:30–23:35, 48 holiday 05:30–23:25; last 이천→판교 23:56 weekday, 23:41 holiday
- 신분당선 (DX LINE) — 소요 시각표official — Cumulative time from 강남: 판교 13 min 59 s (assumes 30 s dwell per station); from 신사: 18 min 46 s
- Busan → 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 — Same last trains on Fri 16, Sat 17 and Sun 18 Oct: 22:00 KTX 82 (arr 00:27) and 22:10 KTX 84 (arr 00:42); matches korail.com for 16 Oct
- 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 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
- 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+
- Global Economic — 반려동물과 가을 소풍…2026 이천펫축제 24일 개막 (6 Oct 2026)news — 24–25 Oct 2026 at Yes Park; opening ceremony 14:00 on the 24th; talk concert by veterinarian Kim Myung-cheol; Hakamcheon pet walk; four-event sports day; 150 m² playground; about 10 food trucks; flea market of about 20 stalls; horse riding and stamp tour
- Seoul Shinmun (twig) — 발 딛는 곳곳 도자 갤러리…손 내민 순간 갬성 터지네 (13 Aug 2020)news — Yes Park (이천도자예술마을): about 406,600 m², 221 workshops and more than 500 artists, no workshop charges admission; studios offering hands-on classes (raku firing, potter's wheel)
- Kyeonggi Ilbo — 경강선 판교행 출근시간 배차 간격 단축 (23 Mar 2026)news — Gyeonggang Line timetable change from 23 Mar 2026 (morning-peak Pangyo-bound headway at Yeoju cut from 28 to 18 minutes); no later change found in searches on 24 Oct 2026
What we could not confirm
- Talk-concert speaker and time: the city's announcement (iNews24) and the ministry name veterinarian Kim Myung-cheol at the 14:00 opening on 24 Oct; the Popga aggregator lists Seol Chae-hyun at 14:30–15:30
- Exact times of the classes, sports day, prize draw and closing ceremony on each day
- Whether programme sign-ups or individual experiences (horse-riding, grooming booths) charge a fee, and how many places the advance sign-up offers
- Dates and programme of the 2024 (second) edition; visitor numbers for any edition
- Pet rules specific to this festival (vaccination proof, size or breed limits, whether cats or other pets are welcome)
- Ride time and evening frequency of buses 24 and 24-1 between Sindundoyechon Station and Yes Park, and whether a festival shuttle runs
- Journey time from Pangyo to Sindundoyechon Station (only Pangyo–Icheon, 35 minutes, was sourced)
- Festival car parks and parking fees for 2026
- Official Japanese and Chinese festival names: no KTO foreign-language listing for the pet festival was found (KTO's names for the venue are 利川陶磁器芸術村 / 利川陶瓷藝術村)
- Organizer URL is Icheon City's main site; the exact page for programme sign-ups was not found
- Whether dogs are allowed inside Yes Park's studios and shops during the festival (no rule published)
- Last train back on the festival date under the timetable in force that day (the Gyeonggang Line timetable could not be reopened on 24 Oct)
Changes: 2026-10-18 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-19 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: no changes found. · 2026-10-19 — Added a photograph from an Icheon City press release (KOGL Type 0, free use). · 2026-10-22 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: no changes found. · 2026-10-24 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: last-train clock time removed (timetable could not be rechecked today), visitors told to check Korail+; prices: no change (entry free).
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