Spring festivals in the area, 2009 edition.

Here is a list of festivals in and around Jeollanam-do. I've included some not exactly in the province but within striking distance. I will update this post as it becomes necessary; what makes something like this very frustrating is that government homepages often don't confirm dates until right before the festival, so while you can easily find details about the 2005 version, finding current information is much more tricky. But I wanted to get this post out early, rather than being like every other English-language outlet and tell you about festivals the day before. Or the day after.

If anybody has any festivals they'd like to add, any reviews they'd like to share, any information they'd like to pass along, or any mistakes they'd like to correct, please leave a comment below.



Gurye Cherry Blossom Festival (섬진강변벚꽃축제)
* April 3rd through 5th
* In Gurye county. Please see this earlier write-up.



Mokpo Yudalsan Flower Festival (목포유달산꽃축제)



* April 3rd through 5th
* Held at the park on Yudalsan in Mokpo. I went last year but was feeling too sick to notice much besides the animals.
* More information on the Mokpo city website, in Korean.



Yeongchuisan Azalea Festival (영취산 진달래축제)
* April 3rd through April 6th
* Held on Yeongchuisan mountain in Yeosu, a festival with a walk through the colorful azaleas. The festivities last only that weekend 3rd through the 6th, though there are activities anticipated from the 27th to the 10th.
* Official site



Chuwolsan Cherry Blossom Festival (추월산벗꽃축제)
* April 4th and 5th
* Held in Damyang county, Yong-myeon, near Chuwolsan mountain, which in turn is near Damyang Lake.



Yeongam Wangin Culture Festival (영암왕인문화축제)



* April 4th through April 7th
* Held in Yeongam county to honor Wangin, the scholar who is said to have brought Confucianism to Japan via Korea. You can view a program on the official website. The Korea Herald had an article about the festival a little while ago; an excerpt:

Wang In is a legendary figure for his expertise in Confucian studies, who went to Japan as an emissary and supported friendly relations between the two countries, and Yeongam is his home.

Wangin Culture Festival 2009 aims to commemorate and cherish the spirit of co-prosperity and mutual understanding he fostered.

It offers a variety of programs offering visitors and participants a taste of the period of Three States (Baekje, Silla, Goguryeo).

Events include a reenactment of the parade for Wang In leaving for Japan, as well as a program to go on a raft of logs at Sangdaepo, which was an international trade port during the Baekje Kingdom.

While in Yeongam, take part in diverse on-hand experiences at its Gulim village, such as tasting traditional Korean food, traditional wedding ceremonies, paper craftworks and folk games.

My girlfriend said it's all right, but then again she probably takes greater interest in Japanese Confucianism than your average foreigner. But from the program it looks like it'd be worth a trip.
* Official site



Shinan Tulip Festival


* April 15th through April 28th
* Shinan is one of the three Jeollanam-do counties comprised entirely of islands, and thus isn't the easiest place to get around. The festival is held on Imja-do, accessible by ferry from Shinan's Ji-do about once an hour.
* Official site



Jindo Sea Parting Festival (진도신비의바닷길축제)
* April 25th through 27th
* Known also as the "Moses Miracle," and a bunch of other variations, this festival celebrates the "Mysterious Sea-Road," a tidal phenomenon that parts the sea and makes it possible to walk between two islands nearly three kilometers away. There's a nice summary from this blog---though I still don't get why the tigers didn't follow the woman---and another one from Tour2Korea.
* Official site



Hampyeong Butterfly Festival (함평나비대축제)



* April 24th through May 10th
* Held at the Hampyeong Expo Park a short walk from the bus terminal in Hampyeong-eup, one of the most notable festivals in the region. I went last year to the World Butterfly and Insect Expo---a bit larger and longer than the ordinary festival---and was impressed by the massive size of the festival grounds. However, there weren't many butterflies, and certainly nothing I'd never seen before. The large crowds were oppressive at times as well, however I expect things will be a little different for the "festival." The festival site is a short walk from the bus terminal in Hampyeong-eup, accessible from Gwangju and nearby counties.
* Official site



Jeonju Film Festival (전주영화제)
* April 30th through May 8th
* The second-largest film festival in the country, behind the one in Busan. There's quite a bit of information on festivals from years' past at this blog, and you'll likely find more articles in the papers as the festival approaches. You can find English-language information on the website below.
* Official site



Hadong Tea Festival (하동야생차문화축제)
* May 1st through May 5th
* Also known as "Hadong Wild Tea Cultural Festival," it's held in Hadong county, Gyeongsangnam-do, right next door to Gwangyang. Things of interest include tea-tasting, handicrafts, and performances. There are programs available from the festival website, although currently they're for the 2008 version.
* Official site


Namwon Chunhyang Festival (춘향제)
* May 1st through 5th
* This is held in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do, right across Jirisan from Jeollanam-do, but it's a cute, scenic little city well-worth a visit. Unfortunately it's competing against too many other big festivals. The Chunhyang Festival is held to celebrate a figure in a famous Korean love story. Because of the city's associations with the tale, it calls itself "The City of Love." There's a nice stream that runs near the Chunhyang Theme Park and Gwanghallu, the park where festivities will be held.
* Official site



Jeamsan Royal Azalea Festival (제암산철쭉체)



* May 1st through 15th
Held on Jeamsan mountain in Jangheung county.
* Official site



Wando Jangbogo Festival (완도장보고축제)
* May 2nd through 5th
* Held in Wando county in celebration of Jang Bogo, a man who basically set up his own little kingdom on a tiny Wando island and kept the seas safe from pirates in the 9th century. The Wando tourism website has more information on the festival:

The expressions of the people participating to restoration are fun as well as the magnificence of the parade. The faces are full of the strength of seaside dwelling people and the self-esteem of their history. During watching the endless parade, you can realize they really love for, and are proud of the clean sea area of Wando and Chang PoGo.

Right, whatever. It's held at various locations throughout the county. Though the drama sets and the reconstructed historical sites look really interesting, I can't imagine you'd attend this festival unless you live in Wando already.



Yeosu Turtleship Festival (여수거북선대축제)
* May 2nd through 5th
* Official site



Damyang Bamboo Festival (담양대나무축제)
* May 2nd through 7th
* Like the tea fields of Boseong, which also have a festival this month, the bamboo forest in Damyang county is one of Jeollanam-do's representative tourist attractions. The forest is worth a visit almost any time---except winter because the trees aren't as green---and keep in mind that during this week you'll be wandering the grounds with hundreds and thousands of other people, which may run counter to a pleasant experience. Nevertheless, expect typical fare . . . fare: music, performances, arts and crafts, food. You can browse photo galleries of previous festivals here, and read Roboseyo's little write-up of his visit here. Buses run to and from the forest from the tiny bus terminal in Damyang-eup, which in turn has regular local and express buses to Gwangju.
* Official site



Nagan Folk Culture Festival (낙안민속문화축제)
* May 3rd through May 5th.
* I went last time and it was good. I've been to Nagan Folk Village twice, both times for festivals, and have enjoyed myself both times. For things like this you don't mind if there are tons of people. Besides the tourists there are also 200-something people who live there. It is considered the best-preserved folk village in Korea, and some of the residents operate minbak and restaurants in the old homes. City buses 63 and 68 run there; make sure you check the time table before you go, because the buses run somewhat sporadically and you can find yourself waiting a couple hours for the next one. If you're interested in spending the night there, take a look around "Namdo Minbak" to see what's available.



Dasan Festival (다산축제)
* May 8th through May 10th
* Held in Gangjin county in honor of Jeong Yak-yong, a famous Shilhak scholar better known as Dasan who was exiled to Gangjin for twenty years. I've written a lot about the sites associated with Dasan and other famous Gangjin residents, and the area is definitely worth a visit, but perhaps not during this busy weekend. If you do decide to go, that weekend or whenever, you'll want to hike from Dasan Chodang to Baekryeonsa, considered the most famous temple in Gangjin.



Boseong Green Tea Festival (보성녹차대축제)



* May 8th through May 11th
* Just about any time is a good time to visit Boseong's famed green tea fields, though this festival will be among the busiest. The fields are one of Jeollanam-do's representative sites, are a part of practically everyone's obligatory Jeolla weekend trip. You may have also heard of the green tea spas at Yulpo; there is also a beach and a waterpark there, though the mixed-reviews they've gotten won't be applicable this time of year.

If you're coming from out of town and want a place to stay, there are a few motels in town. There are also lots of pension, or guest houses, that will give you larger rooms---often overlooking the fields---at upwards of twice the price, though you can bet they'll go fast. A Naver search will let you browse what's available. If you don't want to stay in town, there are loads of motels in Suncheon and Gwangju, the two nearest cities.
* Official site



May 18th commemorative events
Every year to commemorate the Gwangju Massacre, which began on May 18th in Gwangju but spread to outlying towns and counties over the next week, the South Korean president pays his respects at the May 18th National Cemetary, there is a parade down Chungjangno, and reenactment of the violence outside the old Provincial Hall. Last spring we were in the middle of Mad Bull Shit and the events took on an anti-government, anti-American tone and were almost entirely devoted to the Mad Cow hysteria.



This year, who knows. This year the 18th will fall on a Monday. If you'd like to visit the cemetary, the aptly-numbered bus 518 will take you there from downtown.



Keep your eyes open for:
There are other festivals held in years past that haven't yet released any information about 2009.

Goheung Maritime Fireworks Festival (녹동바다불꽃축제)
* Held last year from May 15th through 18th at Nokdong.



Naju Pear Blossom Festival
Usually held early- or mid-April, at and around the Pear Museum in Naju. I went in 2007, and it was pretty lame; the museum is all in Korean (and is about pears), and there's nothing to really see, do, or buy in its parking lot. One nice thing, though, is that you can walk all through the orchirds and admire the blossoms. I crossed the street, wandered along that small road and through the village, and hardly saw another person for two hours. If that's your thing. Naju was quite pretty that time of year, especially on Namsan Park near the bus terminal; my flickr gallery from that visit is here.



Suncheon Dongcheon Lantern Festival (순천동천유등축제)
* Held on Buddha's birthday. This won't be of any interest to anyone not in Suncheon, but they float a couple small lanterns on Dongcheon up near Suncheon National University. Nothing special, but if you happen across it by accident like I did, stay for the fireworks.