[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Gangneung Coffee Festival

Gangneung Coffee Festival is held every year to promote coffee culture and celebrate Gangneung’s growth as the leading coffee hub in Korea.

The city in Gangwon Province is known to be a city of coffee, being home to some legendary baristas in Korea. This year’s festival, slated to be held Oct. 8-11 at Gangneung Ice Arena, will invite big name figures from the local coffee scene for talks and seminars. Barista competitions and performances will take place, too.

For more information in Korean, visit www.coffeefestival.net. Call the travel hotline at 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese.

Goyang Street Arts Festival

Goyang Street Arts Festival allows festivalgoers a chance to see performances ranging from underwater dance, midair performances to fireworks show all in one place. The festival, organized by the Goyang Cultural Foundation, will be held at Lake Park in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, an hour’s drive west of Seoul, from Sept. 24-27.

For more information in Korean, visit www.gylaf.kr. Call the travel hotline at 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese.

Taebaek Sunflower Festival

The Taebaek Sunflower Festival takes place from Tuesday to Aug. 16 in Guwau Village, celebrating the area’s wide array of colorful wildflowers and endless fields of sunflowers. The village in Gangwon Province has the largest sunflower fields in Korea.

The festival area is filled with 300 species of wild flowers, along with a walking path nearby the sunflower field. Hands-on programs related to wild flowers will be prepared.

For more information in Korean, visit sunflowerfestival.co.kr. Call the travel hotline at 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese.

Night of Ganghwa & Heritage Story

Organized by the Ganghwa County Office and Incheon Tourism Organization, Night of Ganghwa & Heritage Story offers eight different programs, introducing the cultural heritage of Ganghwa.

The festival, held Sept. 11-12 at the Yongheunggung Palace Park in Ganghwa, Incheon, west of Seoul, involves traditional art performances, a media facade and a parade, along with hands-on experiences for visitors of all age.

Call the travel hotline at 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese.

Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival

The Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival held in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province, from Aug. 1-8, celebrates the clean and refreshing water of the Tamjin River and Jangheung Lake.

The water festival takes place in areas along the river and in the Cypress Forest Woodland, allowing festivalgoers to take part in refreshing water activities from day to night.

For more information in Korean, visit festival.jangheung.go.kr. Call the travel hotline at 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese.