A million festivals in the area this weekend.

This is a big weekend for festivals in and around Jeollanam-do. For many of us, it's a big weekend period; I have no school on the 4th and 5th, but even though we're all communists down here do not have May Day off, meaning it's only a four-day weekend for me.

* The bicycle race associated with the first annual Korean Bicycle Festival (대한민국자전거축제), which started on April 25th, will be in Suncheon on May 2nd. The race's Stage 8 starts from Palma Stadium and goes around Suncheon and Gwangyang before ending in Jinju. The parade from city hall to the stadium starts at 11:30, and the race begins at 1. More information, in Korean, from the Stage 8 page and from the two .hwp files linked on the city page.

* The Hampyeong Butterfly Festival (함평나비대축제) has been on since April 24th and will continue through May 10th. There aren't many butterflies, but the festival site is huge, pretty, and crowded.

* The Jeonju Film Festival (전주국제영화제) opened today and will continue through the 8th.

* There are a pair of festivals in Yeosu, the Turtleship Festival (여수거북선대축제) and the Tall Ship Festival (여수국제법선). I've had it up to here (motions with hand) with hearing about Yi Sun-shin, but the other festival looks pretty interesting. Both were profiled on Korea.net recently.

* Another important Korean historical figure will have a festival in his name on the 2nd and 3rd in Wando at the Jangbogo Festival (완도장보고축제).

* The Bamboo Festival (담양대나무축제) opens in Damyang on the 2nd and runs through the 7th. That should be crowded, but all right.

* The Jeamsan Royal Azalea Festival (제암산철쭉체) in Jangheung county is on the 3rd.

* The Hong Gildong Festival (홍길동축제) is in Jangseong county from the 2nd through the 5th. He is a fictious character who is, dare I say, like a Korean Robin Hood.

* And the "City of Beautiful People" until you showed up Suncheon will host the Nagan Folk Culture Festival (낙안민속문화축제) at the Nagan Folk Village from the 3rd through the 5th. I attended last year, and went to the village again for the food festival. I recommend visiting. It's accessible from city buses 63 and 68.

* A couple of festivals nearby are the tea festival in Hadong (하동야생차문화축제) and the Chunhyang Festival (춘향제) in Namwon, a cute little city that calls itself the "City of Love."