Chilgok County to Host 2026 Honey Beer, Peace Festival, and Christmas Market

Signature Summer, Fall, and Winter Festival Dates Finalized
Boost to Local Economy Expected Through Tourism Linked to the Daegyeong Line

Chilgok County in North Gyeongsang Province is taking proactive steps to attract tourists and revitalize the local economy by highlighting its signature seasonal festivals.

Throughout the summer, the county will host the Honey Beer Festival; in the fall, a large-scale festival themed around peace and national defense; and in the winter, a Christmas market—thus preparing to transform itself into a year-round cultural tourism city.

The Chilgok Cultural Tourism Foundation recently announced finalized dates for the "2026 Chilgok Honey Beer Festival," the "13th Chilgok Nakdong River Peace Festival & 17th Nakdong River Battle Victory Event," and the "2026 Lucky Chilgok Christmas Market."

2026 Chilgok County Representative Festival Schedule Poster
[Provided by Chilgok County]

The first to kick off is the "2026 Chilgok Honey Beer Festival," which will open the summer season with a two-day event from July 11 to 12 at the Chilgok Peace Fountain area in Waegwan-eup.

Centered around honey beer made with Chilgok’s specialty acacia honey and Bundo sausages, the festival will offer a variety of food, performances, and hands-on programs, making it a representative summer festival to help beat the heat.

Highlighted performances will feature Brave Girls, Norazo, the girl group S2it, and DJ acts. Additionally, there will be a Honey Night and a water slide experience zone for children, which are expected to attract many family visitors.

In the fall, the county’s signature "13th Chilgok Nakdong River Peace Festival" will take place over four days from October 15 to 18 at the Chilgokbo Ecological Park area.

In conjunction, the "17th Nakdong River Battle Victory Event" will also be held for three days from October 16 to 18.

The Peace Festival will serve as a platform to deliver messages of peace and unity for the Korean Peninsula, with a range of performances, experiences, and exhibitions that underscore the values of national defense and peace.

The Nakdong River Battle Victory Event will revisit the historical significance of the fierce Nakdong River Defense Line battles during the Korean War and honor the sacrifices and dedication of the veterans.

On-site experiences will also include the installation of a floating bridge across the Nakdong River and military-themed programs to provide a sense of realism.

At the end of the year, the "2026 Lucky Chilgok Christmas Market" will be held at the Waegwan Station Square area.

The market will focus on Christmas-themed decorations, along with booths for crafts and food sales.

The event is planned as a winter tourism festival where local small businesses, residents, and tourists can come together and enjoy the festivities.

The Chilgok Cultural Tourism Foundation will establish a year-round festival system connecting summer, fall, and winter this year.

The foundation also plans to leverage the opening of the Daegyeong Line to bring in more tourists from a wider area.

Through these efforts, the aim is to provide differentiated cultural tourism content for visitors and create a virtuous cycle that boosts actual consumption in the local business district.

Kim Jae-uk, Chairman of the Chilgok Cultural Tourism Foundation, said, "We will ensure thorough preparations so that the organically connected seasonal festivals can enhance Chilgok's tourism competitiveness and maximize visitor satisfaction."

It is expected that, as the festivals evolve from simple events into platforms connecting local tourism, commerce, and cultural content, the city brand value of Chilgok will also be elevated to a new level.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.