"Dive into Tomatoes to Find the Golden Ring"... Hwacheon Tomato Festival Heats Up Again

Hwacheon County Heats Up with Ten Days of Tomato Festivities
Diving into Tomatoes to Find the "Golden Ring"
Festival Continues at Sanae Sports Park Until August 9
Crowds Flock in on Opening Weekend, Boosting Local Economy
Governor Kim Sehun: "A Cooperative Festival Everyone Can Enjoy"

Red tomatoes have once again colored the summer of Hwacheon.

On the afternoon of the 1st, the second day of the 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival, the "Find the Golden Ring" event was held at the company sports park with the participation of Hwacheon County Governor Sehun Kim and domestic and international tourists. Provided by Hwacheon County

The 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival, the signature summer festival of Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province, kicked off on July 31 at the Sanae Sports Park in Sanae-myeon. This year's festival will run for ten days until August 9, offering visitors special midsummer memories through tomato-themed experiences, water activities, and performances.

From the very first day, the festival grounds were bustling with tourists. Water play facilities, a sheep ranch, and valley water playgrounds opened their doors, and the night featured a festival proclamation ceremony along with a variety of cultural performances.

On stage, Hwacheon County Governor Kim Sehun appointed trot singer Kim Dahyun as the honorary ambassador of Hwacheon County, marking the opening of the festival.

On the first weekend, August 1, streams of visitors began arriving early in the morning. In particular, the festival's main event, the "Find the Golden Ring" challenge, drew hundreds of participants who dove into piles of tomatoes to search for hidden rings—a unique and exciting experience.

On the afternoon of the 1st, the second day of the 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival, the 'Find the Golden Ring' event is being held at the company sports park with Hwacheon County Governor Kim Sehoon and both domestic and international tourists participating. Provided by Hwacheon County

Participants, covered head to toe in tomatoes, burst into laughter and cheers, and this program—now a symbol of the festival—again ranked as its most popular event this year.

This year, the festival site was moved from downtown Sachang-ri in Sanae-myeon to the Sanae Sports Park, greatly improving visitor convenience. Recurring parking shortages from past years were resolved, and relief shelters and large shade canopies were set up to protect against the intense heat, enhancing visitor satisfaction.

The festival has also delivered a boost to the local economy. By assigning numbers to parasols and tables within the festival grounds, restaurant delivery from the Sachang-ri area became possible, increasing orders of foods like chicken and pizza and bringing vitality to nearby businesses.

At lunchtime, the restaurants and shops across the Sachang-ri area were bustling with tourists. Visitor interest was high as well in the sales booths for agricultural and specialty products, including Hwacheon-grown tomatoes. These booths featured more than 30 kinds of local products such as processed tomato foods, corn, and Hwacheon Mulbitnuri rice, contributing to increased income for local farms.

Celebrating its 22nd edition this year, the Hwacheon Tomato Festival is organized into six themed zones: performance, event, water, experience, market & promotion, and military zones.

The 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival 'Table for a Thousand People with Ottogi' event is being held on the 1st at the Sannae Sports Park in Sannae-myeon, Hwacheon-gun, with County Governor Sehoon Kim and other guests in attendance. Photo by Hwacheon County Office

The performance zone hosts military bands, local artists, and guest singers. In the event zone, programs such as "Find the Golden Ring," live television shopping broadcasts, and recreational activities take place.

The water zone features a sliding pool, water party, and water gun playground. In the experience zone, visitors can enjoy balloon art, tomato face painting, 119 safety experiences, and sheep ranch visits.

Additionally, the market & promotion zone includes sales booths for Hwacheon agricultural and specialty products, a promotional exhibit by Ottogi, and dining areas, while the military zone offers distinctive experiences such as exhibitions of military equipment and shooting simulations.

Hwacheon County Governor Kim Sehun stated, "We have completed preparations so that tourists, farmers, small business owners, corporations, and soldiers can all enjoy this collaborative festival together. We will do our utmost to ensure the Hwacheon Tomato Festival brings energy to the local economy and is established as Hwacheon's leading summer brand festival."

Kim Sehun, Mayor of Hwacheon County, is placing tomatoes for the 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival. Photo by Hwacheon County

Meanwhile, the 2026 Hwacheon Tomato Festival is sponsored by the Hwaaksan Tomato Farming Association, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Ottogi Co., Ltd., and Gongyoung Home Shopping, with additional support from NH Nonghyup Hwacheon County Branch and Hwacheon Agricultural Cooperative.

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