| Dates | 15–18 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00–21:00 (KTO) |
| Venue | Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone울산광역시 남구 장생포고래로 244 (매암동) |
| Admission | Admission: Free · Shuttle bus from Taehwagang Station: Free |
| Previous edition | 2025: 25–28 Sep 2025 |
| Next edition | 2027: Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The last three editions ran Thursday to Sunday on 26–29 September 2024, 25–28 September 2025 and 15–18 October 2026, so late September to mid-October 2027 is most likely, but the month has changed often (May in 2023, October in 2022, July in 2018). The 2026 dates were public by 30 July 2026, and the 2025 timing ('end of September') by early August 2025. |
Program
- Opening and closing ceremonies with a theme performance, a 300-voice citizen chorus and whale-themed fireworks over the waterfront on the opening and closing nights
- 30th-anniversary whale parade on the final day, Sunday 18 October, with about 1,000 volunteer performers, clubs and citizens (it had been on the third day and drawn from Nam-gu's 14 neighbourhoods)
- Concerts and showsWAVE CONCERT with an orchestra, a musical gala, world folk performances, Ulsan arts groups, a US Army Spartan Band guest stage, a robot-and-human circus and street busking
- Night party show 'Hello 30, Sparkle Tonight!'
- Childrenmorning Whale Kids Festa stage, the participatory musical 'The Whale's Request' at Shrimp Plaza, magic and bubble shows and a character parade
- Contests and hands-onfamily dance and family song contests, a whale rider challenge, a wish-whale project, whale lantern and craft workshops, a five-mission family stamp tour and on-site games and quizzes
- Future zonea large AI experience zone, interactive exhibits and an AR 'Find the Whale' mission game
- Exhibition 'The Time of Whales' (고래의 시간), a 30th-anniversary archive show at Jangsaengpo Culture Warehouse
- Food and markets'Whale Table' (고래밥상) food zone, chicken-and-beer zone, food trucks, a flea market of about 50 local small businesses and a whale flea market
- Welcome gate at Taehwagang Station plaza with welcome performances and shuttle information; busking there from 2 October
Prices
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | Free | Free for everyone per KTO and the festival's 2026 publicity |
| Shuttle bus from Taehwagang Station | Free | Free, every 30 minutes on all four days |
Notes on the 2026 edition
30th edition; theme 'A Whale's Invitation, a 30th Birthday Party!' (고래의 초대, 서른살 파티!), slogan 'Whales together' (함께할 고래). Hosted by Ulsan Nam-gu Office and run by the Whale Culture Foundation; festival office 052-270-9324. Nam-gu reworked the format for 2026 so that visitors stay longer and take part, with fewer big-name singers at the ceremonies and Ulsan-based artists on the closing stage. No visitor total had been published as of 19 October 2026.
About the festival
The Ulsan Whale Festival (울산고래축제) is a free four-day festival at the Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone in Nam-gu, Ulsan, a former whaling port that is now Korea's only whale-culture district. The 30th edition ran from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 October 2026, 10:00–21:00, with a whale parade, fireworks, concerts and children's programmes. The 2027 dates are not announced; recent editions have fallen between late September and mid-October. From Seoul, KTX-Eum trains from Cheongnyangni reach Taehwagang Station in about 3 hours (₩48,800), and in 2026 a free festival shuttle ran from there every 30 minutes.
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main Ulsan Whale Festival page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.