| Dates | 3–18 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Lanterns lit 18:00–24:00; pontoon bridges and booths 13:00–23:00 (last bridge ticket 22:50); KTO lists 13:00–23:00 |
| Weather | October average 22/9 °C (72/48 °F), 68 mm of rainMonthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Jinju station. |
| Venue | Jinjuseong Fortress and the Namgang River경상남도 진주시 남강로 626 (본성동) |
| Admission | General admission: Free · Pontoon 'love bridge', one way: ₩2,000 |
| Previous edition | 2025: 4–19 Oct 2025 |
| Next edition | 2027: Saturday 2 – Sunday 17 October 2027 if the pattern of 2024–2026 (16 days from the first Saturday of October) holds; Jinju City confirmed the 2026 dates on 30 July 2026, so expect the 2027 announcement in late July. |
Program
- 3 Oct (Sat)opening — 18:00 ritual, 18:30 street procession from the musical fountain, 19:30 lighting, 19:50 drone show, 20:00 fireworks; about 185,000 visitors on the day
- 3–8 Octlantern festival only (first six days)
- 9 Oct (Fri, Hangul Day)fireworks 20:00; 75th Gaecheon Art Festival (56 events) and 2026 Korea Drama Festival open; KDF concerts nightly at 20:30 through 17 Oct
- 10 Oct (Sat, Citizens' Day)drone show 20:00 plus a 300-drone lettering show of residents’ messages; 19th national costume parade from 12:00, Gongbuk Gate of Jinjuseong to Insa Plaza and Central Plaza, 30 teams and about 1,700 participants
- 17 Oct (Sat)drone show 19:50, fireworks 20:00, KDF concert
- 18 Oct (Sun)final day of all three festivals
- Shuttle days3–5, 9–11 and 16–18 Oct, 16:00–23:00, seven free routes
Prices
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | Free | Free (KTO Korean listing updated 8 Oct 2026; official site) |
| Pontoon 'love bridge', one way | ₩2,000 | Reported by two 2026 guides citing the official site/KTO; the same ₩2,000 price was published for 2024 (Seoul Shinmun) |
| Pontoon 'love bridge', all-day pass | ₩6,000 | Same sources as above |
| Wish lantern (소망등) hanging | ₩10,000 | One 2026 guide citing the KTO Korean listing; not seen on an official page |
| Lantern floating (유등 띄우기) | — | Reported as ₩3,000 by one guide and ₩5,000 by another; unresolved |
| Jinjuseong car park | ₩500 | Per 30 minutes for cars, then ₩200 per 10 minutes (one guide, no source given) |
Notes on the 2026 edition
Theme '역사의 강, 평화를 담다'; 165 water lantern sets (135 in 2025), 1,200+ land lanterns, about 70,000 lights, 1,300 drones (950 in 2025), seven fireworks launch points (five in 2025); 63 CCTV cameras and digital counters on four pontoon bridges; 36 temporary car parks with 11,360 spaces. The official overview page still carried a '2025' title with 2026 dates when checked.
About the festival
Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival fills the Namgang River below Jinjuseong Fortress in Jinju, South Gyeongsang, with floating and riverside lanterns for sixteen October nights. The 2026 edition ran 3–18 October (lanterns lit 18:00–24:00); 2027 is expected 2–17 October. Entry is free; the floating 'love bridge' costs ₩2,000 one way. Go on a show night: drones and fireworks on 3, 9/10 and 17 October in 2026.
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
21 October 2026, against the sources listed below.