Gangwon-do(Goseong-gun)

Located in the northernmost part of Korea, Goseong, Gangwon-do, is a special place from which to view the sunrise on New Year’s Day. It is also known as the starting point for the Geumgangsan Mountain trip to North Korea, so the sunrise festival features a variety of programs that bring together North Koreans living in the South, Goseong residents, and tourists in a ceremony to wish for reunification, a bell-striking ceremony, and the release of wish-balloons into the sky. The Sunrise Festival is held on January 1 on Hwajinpo Beach, a famous film location of the TV drama Autumn in My Heart. Visitors can take part in hands-on programs such as hope-balloon flying and a candle lighting ceremony. Afterwards, there will be a shamanistic ceremony called gut to wish for reunification, followed by music by a military band, a drum combo, and folk performances.


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

The Maengbang Flower Festival is one of the landmark spring celebrations in Korea and is held every April near Samcheok-si City in Ganwon-do Province. The festival boasts a breathtaking view of canola flowers, cherry blossoms and the blue sea of the East Coast. The festival also offers a diverse set of events and programs including a local produce market, fresh strawberry picking, and exhibition on canola flowers and bees. The Samcheok Tourist Center will also be at the festival to help any tourists to the area visit the variety of tourist attractions nearby such as Haesindang Park, New Millennium Ocean Road, Wife of King Suro Park, and the filming place for “One Fine Spring Day.”


Gangwon-do(Inje-gun)

The festival aims to promote the city as the best place for hwangtae (pollack) and to inform people about the quality and nutritional value of pollack in order to boost  the region's economy. An array of hands-on pollack-themed programs are available for visitors to take part in.


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

Samcheok Full Moon Festival is a festival that blends Gijuldaligi, a local Samcheok-si play, together with three ancestral rites for the gods of heaven, agriculture, and the sea. The festival includes a range of traditional activities including fireworks, a celebration ceremony, gilnori (parade), pungmulnori (Korean drum performance and dance), burning daljip (bundle of twigs that is burned to bring good luck), local dialect contest, yutnori (traditional board game), ssireum (wrestling) and many more. The gijuldaligi (tug-of-war) contest has become a popular traditional activity, and is now held throughout the country. The festival is held at Expo Square, not far from cultural tourism spots including the exhibition hall of caves, Jukseoru Pavilion, Haesindang Park, and Hwanseongul Cave. * Giljuldarigi (gejuldarigi; ge means "crab") In this version of tug-of-war, participants on the either side each hold on to smaller ropes linked to a thick rope, and pull the small strings that are linked to the thick strings. Participants are divided into two groups based on where they live in proximity to Osipcheon Stream, which through downtown Samcheok. The game’s legend said that the winning village areas would receive a prosperous year, a big catch, and have luck throughout the year.


Gangwon-do(Sokcho-si)

Sokcho-si holds the Sokcho Sunrise Festival in the area around Sokcho Beach on the first day of the New Year. This year, the festival aims to provide a venue for the union of the locals and tourists, to deliver messages of hope and pride to citizens, and enhance the image of Sokcho as a tourist city full of positive energy to tourists. The festival offers many attractions and entertainment for visitors.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

The first Pyeongchang Biennale in Gangwon-do is being held in the hopes of pulling off a successful run of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in 2018 and to put a more cultural touch to the big event. Under the theme of “Earth Harmony”, the biennale will take place in Pyeongchang Alpensia Resort and Donghae Mangsang Angva Expo Hall. Around 120 art pieces from home and abroad, largely consisting of installation projects, sculptures and media works, will be on exhibit. Other programs include a sculpture symposium, special guest artists exhibitions, a media art display, a nationwide students art contest and a media workshop. What’s also on the agenda is the Art Bank Project which intends to nurture new talents and rookie artists. This project is expected to fill Alpensia Resort and downtown Hoenggye with a more artistic vibe. The Pyeongchang Biennale, with the theme "Earth Harmony - Human, Peace and Environment", is a consideration toward a life in harmony and finding a balance between humans and Mother Nature while positioning itself as a starting point of greater harmony and unity.


Gangwon-do(Chuncheon-si)

Mulle-gil Festival is set to take place around the Uiamho Lake area and Songam-dong Sports Town in Chuncheon, the lakeside city of Gangwon Province. This year’s festival is divided into several categories including the Experience Zone, Camping Zone, Exhibition Zone, and Performance Zone. At the Performance Zone you may enjoy a wide variety of concerts and performing arts while the Mulle-gil Experience Zone features not only the canoe experience program, but also a variety of fun canoe contests like a Canoe Marathon, Family Slalom Contest (a hurdle dodging race), the 1-Person Freestyle Competition, and Family Luggage-carrying Race.


Gangwon-do(Chuncheon-si)

Chucheon Animation Festival is host by Chuncheon Animation Museum to celebrate the success of domestically created animations, featuring contests, creative animations for the opening ceremony, a 3D movie festival, product consultations, and other events.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Pyeongchang Cirsium Setidens Festival is held every year in May in Sanchae Village, Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province. Visitors can pick their own cirsium setidents along with other wild greens on nearby mountains and try various kinds of food made from wild greens at the festival venue. Other hands-on programs include making rice cakes and catching trout or marsh snails.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Odaesan Mountain Culture Festival is an annual celebration held around October to provide visitors a chance to experience Korean Buddhist culture. The festival takes place at the foot of Pyeongchang’s Odaesan Mountain, which is famous for its magnificent scenery. In addition to enjoying the festivities, visitors will have the opportunity to cultivate their body and mind through the festival’s wide range of programs encompassing the unique characteristics of Buddhist culture.