21,600 Recreational Athletes Gather in Gapyeong for Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival... Three Days of Competition Begin

Delegations from 31 Cities and Counties Compete in 29 Sports Events
Record-Breaking Crowd of 8,000 Gathers at Jaraseom Opening Ceremony

The 37th Gyeonggi-do Sports for All Festival 2026 Gapyeong, a festival for recreational athletes in Gyeonggi-do, opened on the 11th at Jaraseom Seodo in Gapyeong-gun.

The "37th Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival 2026 Gapyeong," a festival for Gyeonggi-do amateur athletes, opened on the 11th at Jara Island Seodo, Gapyeong-gun. Provided by Gapyeong-gun

This year's festival features approximately 21,600 participants, including 18,192 athletes representing 31 cities and counties across 29 sporting disciplines, along with 3,420 officials. The opening ceremony drew an audience of around 8,000, bringing the total attendance to about 29,000 people—including participants—making it the largest event ever held.

Under the slogan "Healing the Gapyeong, Fair Games," this event brings together recreational sports enthusiasts from a wide range of generations, from youth to seniors. It is intended not just as a competition, but as a festival for everyone to enjoy and share in recreational sports beyond winning and losing.

Prior to the opening ceremony, the event featured a choir performance and a Taekwondo demonstration, followed by the Air Force's special aerobatic team, "Black Eagles," presenting a spectacular air show above Jaraseom. The official ceremony proceeded with the flag bearers and delegations from 31 cities and counties entering the stadium, the opening declaration, athlete pledges, and a themed performance.

After the ceremony, singers such as Hong Jin-young, FIFTY FIFTY, and An Sung-hoon delivered celebratory performances.

Gapyeong County Governor Seo Taewon said, "It is meaningful to host the festival in Gapyeong, where beautiful nature and the passion for sports come together," adding, "I hope everyone can enjoy the Jaraseom Flower Festival and the nature of Gapyeong, creating happy memories."

Lee Wonseong, President of the Gyeonggi Provincial Sports Council, remarked, "I hope this will be an occasion where Gyeonggi-do's values of fairness, innovation, and inclusiveness are realized through sports," and wished for all participants to reap the rewards of their hard work without injury.

The festival will continue through September 13 at 37 venues across the Gapyeong area, including the Gapyeong Sports Complex.

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