Yeongwol County to Host Local-Themed 'Starlight Autumn Camping Festa' in Deokpo-ri

As autumn deepens, a special “value-driven consumption” camping festival will be held in the pristine nature of Deokpo-ri, Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, offering a romantic night under the stars while also supporting the local neighborhood economy. The event is expected to attract campers seeking an “ethical journey,” as the entire participation fee (40,000 won) will be fully reimbursed in local currency.

Starlight Autumn Camping Festa Poster. Provided by Yeongwol County

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Deokpo-ri, located near Yeongwol Station, has been selected this year for the “Neighborhood Commercial District Power Plant” and the “Local Commercial District Vitalization Project,” both supported by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Small Enterprise and Market Service. The area is now striving for local-centered innovation and change.

This “Starlit Night, Deokpo-ri Starlight Autumn Camping Festa” is a pilot initiative, scheduled to take place over two days and one night from October 25 to 26 in the Deokpo-ri area of Yeongwol-eup.

The event organizers will select 30 teams (about 120 people) and fully reimburse the participation fee (40,000 won per team) on-site with “Yeongwol Love Gift Certificates.” This means participants can essentially enjoy camping for free, and use the reimbursed gift certificates at local restaurants, cafes, and other businesses in Deokpo-ri during the event, naturally contributing to the revitalization of the local economy. This creates a virtuous cycle where enjoyment leads directly to economic vitality for the neighborhood.

With the subtitle “Romantic Camping on an Autumn Night Flowing with Nature and History,” the festival offers a variety of local experience programs that make use of Deokpo-ri’s tangible and intangible assets.

First, the camping zone, established at the site of the Yeongwol Deokpo 5-Day Market, will serve as the base camp. During the day, participants can join a “Local Food Cooking Class” featuring buckwheat, Yeongwol’s signature specialty, and the “Byeolmaro Drone Pilot Academy.” Campers will learn the local flavors from a professional culinary researcher and create unique memories by piloting drones under expert guidance.

As night falls, Yeongwol’s true charm comes alive. Following the “Autumn Night Sentimental Concert” by the campfire, the festival’s highlight-the “Milky Way Tour”-awaits. Under the guidance of an astronomy expert, participants can observe the starlight and Milky Way pouring overhead, capturing unforgettable “life shots” against the backdrop of the autumn night sky.

Other programs include the “Treasure Hunt Stamp Tour” to discover hidden local eateries throughout Deokpo-ri’s alleys, the “Shooting Star Pickup” (a plogging campaign to clean up the commercial district and natural environment), and the “Deokpo Archiving Exhibition” that connects the area’s past and present. A wide variety of programs linking the local economy with nighttime cultural experiences are meticulously prepared.

An official from Hwiyoung Co., Ltd., which oversees the Neighborhood Commercial District Power Plant and Local Commercial District Vitalization Project in Yeongwol County, stated, “This ‘Starlight Autumn Camping Festa’ is more than just a festival. It is designed to offer campers unforgettable memories in Yeongwol’s beautiful nature, while also injecting new vitality into the small businesses of Deokpo-ri. Since the entire participation fee is reimbursed as local gift certificates, we hope many people will visit without hesitation, fully enjoy the deep autumn of Yeongwol, and experience the precious value of regional coexistence.”

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