Itaewon Global Village Festival set to return

The annual Itaewon Global Village Festival will return on Oct. 15-16 after a two-year pandemic pause, Seoul's Yongsan-gu Office announced Thursday.

During the festival, more than a million visitors are expected to gather in Itaewon. The district is one of Korea's most multicultural areas, with dozens of foreign shops and restaurants found throughout its alleys.

Under the slogan, "Let's Get Together," the festival's main events will be held in the Itaewon Special Tourism Zone Area, situated between Hangangjin and Noksapyeong stations. The festival will run Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Cultural performances with live music, art and food, will be featured. World food and beverage vendors will be set up through the wider Itaewon area, with outdoor DJ parties in the evenings.

The festival's highlight, a parade, will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday. More than 1,000 participants from 32 different teams have registered to participate this year in the 1.4-kilometer-long parade, which starts at Hangangjin Station and passes through Itaewon Station, then onto the festival's main stage, near Noksapyeong Station.

In Itaewon, traditional cultural experience booths representing 14 countries will be set up along with 26 booths where visitors can learn about Korea's neighboring countries. Visitors can take part in cultural activities and purchase antique crafts from different countries.

At the world food zone, some 45 popular Itaewon restaurants and eateries in Yongsan that serve cuisines from different countries will be represented, as well as tents staffed by Yongsan residents offering Korea food and draft beer as well.

The World Traditional Culture Competition will be held on the main stage near Noksapyeong Station and the Itaewon Dance Competition will run on the Hot Stage toward Hangangjin Station. Busking and DJ parties will be held in front of the Hamilton Hotel.

As a green initiative, festival organizers have come up with a new campaign this year, "Awaken the Sleeping Tumbler." Those who bring their own tumblers to the festival will be provided with free drinking water. A separate booth will be dedicated to collecting tumblers for recycling, before and after the festival.

"We hope the festival brings back the cheerful spirit that Yongsan and Itaewon once had, and contributes to helping out merchants who have gone through hard times over the past two years," the festival organizer told The Korea Herald on Friday.

Celebrating its 19th edition this year, the Itaewon Global Village Festival has been held annually since 2002.