| Dates | 3–11 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00–20:00 |
| Venue | Namwon-cheon stream and Punggi Ginseng Park경상북도 영주시 풍기읍 성내리 240-1 |
| Admission | Festival admission: Free |
| Previous edition | 2025: 18–26 Oct 2025 |
| Next edition | 2027: Nine days from a Saturday to the following Sunday in October: 7–15 Oct 2023, 5–13 Oct 2024, 18–26 Oct 2025 and 3–11 Oct 2026. Early to mid October 2027 is most likely (2–10 or 9–17 October would fit the pattern); no dates announced as of 19 Oct 2026. |
Program
- Sat 3 Octmorning rite at Gaesamteo, the 1541 first-cultivation site; afternoon procession re-enacting magistrate Ju Se-bung's arrival, about 200 people in hanbok setting off from Punggi Station; 16:00 opening ceremony and concert on the Namwon-cheon main stage
- Sun 4 Oct 15:00chef Oh Se-deuk's ginseng cooking show 'Punggi Giun Hanip' ('a bite of Punggi energy')
- Mon 5 OctMBN singing show 'Jeonguk Star Tansaeng' hosted by Kim Jong-kook and Kim Mi-hwa
- Dailyginseng-peeling contest, ginseng injeolmi rice-cake pounding, ginseng foot bath, ginseng dumpling and ginseng-scent making, seonbi culture experience, traditional-medicine clinic with pulse readings
- Dailysales booths of Punggi's five main ginseng markets, ginseng washing and courier service, exhibition of prize ginseng; food stalls with ginseng bibimbap, knife-cut noodles, herbal braised pork, deep-fried ginseng and ginseng ice cream
- Stage and sportyouth arts festa, Dendong-eomi hwajeon-nori folk play, pungmul by the National Youth Yeonhee Troupe, the 14th ginseng ssireum wrestling tournament
- Sat 10 Octfinal of the Sobaeksan Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Song Festival with a performance by Tae Jin-ah; Sun 11 Oct: closing concert with Kim Yong-bin and Gil Ryeo-won
Prices
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Festival admission | Free | Free per KTO |
| Hands-on programmes | — | Some are paid (KTO); prices not published on the pages opened |
Notes on the 2026 edition
Two weeks earlier than in 2025. About 511,000 visitors, up 14,000 on 2025. Spending ₩30,000 or more at the festival earned a draw for ginseng-market discount coupons, and the Yeongju Sarang gift-voucher bonus was raised to 15% during the festival. Edition number not stated (the 2024 edition was the 27th).
About the festival
The Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival (영주풍기인삼축제) is a nine-day ginseng market festival on the Namwon-cheon stream and in Punggi Ginseng Park in Punggi-eup, Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the town that claims Korea's first cultivated ginseng. The 2026 edition ran 3–11 October, 10:00–20:00, and drew about 511,000 visitors; 2027 dates are not announced, and a Saturday-to-Sunday run in early to mid October is most likely. Entry is free, with some paid hands-on programmes, and Punggi Station is 1 h 31 m–1 h 41 m from Cheongnyangni by KTX-Eum (₩21,600).
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.