"The Path Painted by the Sea, Art Created by the Wind"... Siheung Gaetgol Festival Opens on the 18th

Siheung City to Host the 21st Siheung Gaetgol Festival
Festival to Take Place at Siheung Gaetgol Eco Park from September 18 to 20
21 Experience and Performance Programs Along Eight Themed Paths
44 Eco-Friendly Hydrogen-Electric Shuttle Buses to Operate

Siheung City in Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Lim Byeong-taek, will host the 21st Siheung Gaetgol Festival, Korea's premier ecological festival, from September 18 to September 20 at the Siheung Gaetgol Eco Park.

Participants are experiencing salt fields at the Siheung Gaetgol Festival held last year. Provided by Siheung City

This year’s festival, held under the theme “The Path Painted by the Sea, Art Created by the Wind,” will feature a range of programs that showcase the natural ecology of the tidal flats, the history of the salt farms, and the harmony between people and the arts. The festival grounds are structured along eight themed paths—Gaetgol-ro, Saengtae-ro, Saengmyeong-ro, Yeomjeon-ro, Baram-ro, Jandi-ro, Misik-ro, and Jib-ro. Visitors can enjoy a total of 21 booths offering various experiences, performances, food, and market activities.

The main program, “Memories of Salt, Dance of Water,” will take place every night during the festival in the salt farm area. This performance uses salt as its motif to create an emotional and evocative nighttime atmosphere in the tidal flats.

Experiential activities include the “Gaetgol Stamp Rally,” where visitors complete a postcard as they explore the festival grounds, as well as the “National Gaetgol Art Contest” and the “Gaetgol Slow Post Office,” which allows participants to send letters to be received one year later.

There are also a variety of ecological experiences for families. These include local participation programs such as reed crafts, natural dyeing, upcycling experiences, as well as insect exploration, the Gaetgol Adventure Team, the Forest Music Festival, and the Gaetgol Memory Photo Studio. Notably, the popular “Fantasy Hot Air Balloon” experience—which offers sweeping aerial views of the tidal flats—will return this year.

Additional events for all ages include the salt farm experience, salt games, the barefoot salt path, the senior runway, the 9th Siheung Salt Farm Salt Festival, and the Sea Pool Party (with DJing and water play).

The evening concert lineup promises to fill autumn nights with emotion and excitement. The “Concert in Gaetgol” stage will host bands and artists including Kim Siyoung Band, Shim Myeonggi, Trinity, Hanultari Acoustic Zoo, Bicycle Riding Landscape, Travel Sketch, Park Hyekyung, and Seo Yeongeun. In addition, “Arts Festival on the Street,” featuring performing artists from Gyeonggi Province, will further enliven the event.

Siheung Gatgol Festival Poster. Provided by Siheung City

Throughout the festival grounds, food trucks, food zones, a farmers’ market, a sharing market, and promotional booths will offer visitors a variety of local foods and specialty products.

This year’s Siheung Gaetgol Festival will be run as a “car-free festival.” To accommodate visitors amid partial traffic restrictions around the venue, 44 eco-friendly hydrogen-electric shuttle buses will operate. The shuttle buses are available at the main gate of Siheung City Hall, Oido Station–Baegot (with stops), Sincheon Station–Eungye (with stops), and Mokgam District, among other key locations.

Mayor Lim Byeong-taek stated, “The 21st Siheung Gaetgol Festival has been organized as a celebration where the nature of the tidal flats, the history of the salt farms, people, and the arts unite. We will do our utmost to ensure that this festival, featuring unique ecological resources, diverse activities, and performances unique to Siheung, becomes a representative ecological festival of Korea that can be enjoyed by all citizens and visitors.”

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