Naju Expands Flower Fields by 50,000 Pyeong... 540,000 Visit Yeongsan River Festival

Record-high visitor numbers over five days
Tourists flock to history, culture and family experiences
Linked with local businesses and developed as a year-round tourist attraction

Naju City is believed to have drawn a record number of visitors after expanding the flower garden at the Yeongsan River Festival by 50,000 pyeong and strengthening experiential programs focused on history, culture and families.

According to Naju City on Oct. 12, a record 540,000 people visited the 2026 Naju Yeongsan River Festival, held at Yeongsan River Garden from Oct. 7 to 11. In particular, 90,000 people visited on the opening day alone, Oct. 7, while tourists from across the country also came during the Hangul Day holiday period.

The 2026 Naju Yeongsangang Festival wrapped up on a high note, attracting a total of 540,000 visitors over five days. Courtesy of Naju City.

The biggest change this year was the expansion of the festival grounds. Naju City expanded the flower fields from 70,000 pyeong last year to 120,000 pyeong, creating a large-scale autumn flower garden featuring cosmos, kochia, sunflowers, zinnias and buckwheat.

The festival also incorporated the region's historical features into its offerings to attract tourists. Highlights included the original musical "Queen, Janghwa," about King Taejo Wang Geon of Goryeo and Queen Janghwa; a performance based on the legend of Angambawi Rock on the Yeongsan River; and a procession marking the arrival of the Naju magistrate, featuring local residents.

An original dance drama based on the 1929 "Naju Station Pigtail Incident" and a natural-dye fashion show were also held.

Popular music performances featured Park Ji-hyun, Hong Ji-min, Jo Kwon, Ivy, Michael Lee, Giriboy, Homies, Forestella and Kim Yeon-ja, adding to the scale of the event. KidZania, a career-experience program for children, was expanded to seven activity zones, and the Black Eagles air show was held on the festival's closing day.

Events were also organized to encourage spending outside the festival grounds. The "No-Lose Lucky Spending Instant Lottery," offered to customers at local businesses, was so popular that tickets ran out early every day during the festival.

The food booths operated a system to collect and wash reusable containers. Naju City plans to develop Yeongsan River Garden into a year-round tourist attraction, turning the visitor demand generated by the festival into visits throughout the year.

Naju Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, "We will cultivate Yeongsan River Garden into a place people want to visit and stay in throughout the year, and help it grow into a national garden representing Korea."

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