120,000 Flock to Hwaseong Songsan Grape Festival... A Full Sensory Experience from Vineyard to Table

A Variety of Experiences from Grape Stomping and Harvesting to Tastings and Performances

Expanding Sales Channels for Local Farmers Through Direct Sales

Mayor Jung Myunggeun: "We Will Enhance the Brand Value of Songsan Grapes"

Over 120,000 people attended the 12th Hwaseong Songsan Grape Festival, where visitors could taste and experience the harvesting process of Songsan Grapes, a signature agricultural specialty of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

Jung Myunggeun, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City (fourth from the left), and Choo Mi-ae, Governor of Gyeonggi Province (third from the left), along with other distinguished guests, are participating in the opening ceremony of the 12th Hwaseong Songsan Grape Festival on the 5th, celebrating the value of Hwaseong Songsan Grapes. Provided by Hwaseong City

Hwaseong Special City announced that more than 120,000 citizens and tourists visited the festival, which was held from September 5 to 6, 2026, at Hwaseong Eco Farm Theme Park, Dongtan Lake Park, and other venues in Hwaseong.

The theme for this year's festival was "The Journey of a Single Cluster, Hwaseong Songsan Grape Farm Tour Festa." The festival featured exhibitions, hands-on experiences, food stalls, and sales programs to showcase the journey of grapes from the farm, through harvesting, all the way to consumers' tables. Unlike previous festivals focused mainly on viewing and sales, this year’s event allowed visitors to experience the production and distribution process of Songsan Grapes firsthand.

At the main venue, Hwaseong Eco Farm Theme Park, there were events such as grape stomping, grape harvesting and farm experiences, a life cycle exhibition of Songsan Grapes, and tasting events for different varieties. Programs for families included activities such as the "Find the Golden Grape" event, making grape ice cream, and making Injeolmi rice cakes.

At the festival’s direct sales market, Songsan Grapes grown by local farms—with thorough quality control—were available for purchase. Prior to the festival, the city held a commitment rally with participating farmers to share quality control and sales standards. These measures were implemented both to enhance consumer trust and to secure stable sales channels for the farmers.

Throughout the festival grounds, there were programs such as the Hwaseong Songsan Grape Song Contest, performances by local artists, and busking. The event also featured activities leveraging the unique spaces of the Eco Farm Theme Park, such as film screenings, a scenic observatory rest area, and string performances set against the backdrop of the sunset.

The opening ceremony, held on September 5, was attended by Choo Mi-ae, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Jung Myunggeun, Mayor of Hwaseong Special City, local farmers, and citizens. During the opening performance, the eight key values of Hwaseong Songsan Grapes were symbolically represented by placing each value into a grape, culminating in the completion of a full cluster.

Jung Myunggeun, mayor of Hwaseong Special City, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Hwaseong Songsan Grape Festival on the 5th. Courtesy of Hwaseong City

Mayor Jung Myunggeun said, "I am deeply grateful to the farmers who devoted themselves to producing quality grapes under challenging conditions such as the heat wave, and to the citizens and tourists who visited the festival." He added, "This year’s festival was meaningful not only as an opportunity to taste and purchase grapes, but also to experience the journey of grapes from cultivation to meeting the consumer, as well as the value of agriculture."

He continued, "We will further strengthen the competitiveness of Hwaseong Songsan Grapes to introduce their outstanding quality to more consumers and to enhance both sales channels and brand value for local farmers."

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