Gyeonggi Province’s festivals begin in 2013!
(Published November 28, 2012)

Gyeonggi Province selects its ten major festivals
Gyeonggi Province forms festival review committee to select its ten major festivals for 2013

The selected festivals include Gapyeong Jarasum International Jazz Festival; Suwon’s Hwaseong Cultural Festival; Icheon Rice Cultural Festival; Yeoncheon Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival; Ansan Street Arts Festival; Paju Jangdan Soybean Festival; Gwacheon Festival; Paju’s Booksori Festival; Siheung Gaetgol Festival; and Yangpyeong Sannamul and Hanu Festival.

The review committee, which consists of experts, selected ten festivals from among twenty local festivals held in sixteen cities and counties by evaluating them according to the following four criteria: content and characteristics; operation; development potential; and accomplishments.
 
A provincial official said, “We focused on the potential for differentiated development such as the characteristics and attractive features of each festival, instead of considering a simple index such as the number of festival visitors.” adding, “We will provide full support for Gyeonggi Province’s festivals to attract even more visitors and to revitalize the local economy”.
 
Gyeonggi Province will provide consultations to improve the content of the ten selected festivals and enhance their competitiveness.
 
Gwacheon Festival
Gwacheon Festival is a performance art festival that is held in September every year in Gwacheon City. It is also an international festival that introduces various genres of performance art including drama, dance, and music in an outdoor setting. 
 
During this festival, 6-7 performances including domestic and overseas invited performances and special performances are held daily. The performances by performance troupes from overseas will provide great opportunities for visitors to enjoy the outdoor performances of diverse countries. Admission to most of the performances is free.
 
The festival is held in the outdoor performance hall of the Gwacheon Citizens Hall in mid-September for 4 to 5 days.  

◇ Gwacheon City’s Gwacheon Festival ⓒ G-News Plus
 
Paju’s Jangdan Soybean Festival
The Jangdan Soybean Festival is held in November every year at the Imjingak Plaza in Paju to advertise the excellence of Jangdan soybeans and to increase the competitiveness of Korean agriculture.
 
Paju City’s representative festival, it consists of such events as Alkong Madang, Dalkong Madang, Nolkong Madang, and Eoul Madang.
 
The Alkong Madang provides a wealth of information about Jangdan soybeans through exhibitions of beans and processed foods made with beans. The Dalkong Madang is a space where visitors can try various kinds of bean-based foods at the Jangdan Soybean-Specialty Restaurant and the Paju Local Food Restaurant. The Nolkong Madang holds several popular events such as soybean lump making, bean threshing, soybean milk making, and eating beans roasted on fire.
 
The agricultural specialty produce sale courtyard is also an interesting place to visit. During the festival, visitors can purchase local specialty products at a reasonable price.◇ Paju Jangdan Soybean Festival ⓒ G-News Plus
 
Paju’s Booksori Festival
In 2011, Paju Book City established Bookstore Street, transforming its book production space into a space for sharing book culture. As a result, forty-two bookstores began business in one year.
 
Paju Booksori, Asia’s largest book festival, is held in Paju Book City, which is developing tin a Mecca of international publication. Since autumn 2011, Paju Booksori has been a knowledge-based festival which offers several programs in collaboration with 100 publishers in Paju as well as with domestic and overseas agencies related with the fields of publication, education, and culture. The festival was held for nine days from September 15 to 23 this year.
 
This festival was held as an international event with the participation of famous figures from the publication industry in Asia and Europe. The ‘HANGEUL NADRI 569’: The story of Hangeul in daily life throughout 500years, which featured the history of Hangeul, as well as a special exhibition focusing on the history of Korean magazines from the country’s period of westernization to the present, were also held during the festival. Symposiums, lectures, and performances were held in several venues throughout Paju Book City, attracting the participation of Korean and foreign intellectuals.
 
During Paju Booksori, which is led by publishers in Korea, diverse events including lectures by the representative authors of each publisher, lectures by authors, and workshops were held in bookstores and the offices of various publishers.◇ Paju Booksori Festival ⓒ G-News Plus
 
Ansan International Street Arts Festival
Ansan International Street Arts Festival, where clowns from all over the world bring the gift of catharsis to visitors, is held every May at the 25 Hours Square in Ansan. Street performances including circus and mime acts and outdoor juggling are given without restrictions on the location.  
 
The number of participants in the festival is increasing every year, and the plaza area was packed with street-play performers and visitors last May. This festival is expected to become another highly popular cultural festival among young people in particular.◇ Ansan International Street Arts Festival’ ⓒ G-News Plus
 
Yeoncheon Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival
Yeoncheon-gun’s pride, the Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival, offers visitors a prehistoric cultural experience. It runs several experience programs including an international exchange exhibition of paleolithic experiences; the Jeongok-ri Archeological Academy; a paleolithic performance, which realistically reproduces the life of Stone Age people; an agricultural experience venue where visitors can experience the history and culture of Yeoncheon including a paleolithic barbecue; and Yeoncheon’s Local Specialties Market.
 
The festival is held every May at the Jeongok-ri Prehistoric Site in Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi Province.
 ◇ Yeoncheon-gun’s Jeongok-ri Stone Age Festival ⓒ G-News Plus

Icheon Rice Cultural Festival
The Rice Cultural Festival is held annually around the time of the rice harvest to publicize the excellence of Icheon rice, Icheon’s representative specialty produce.
 
During the festival, visitors can experience traditional Korean culture such as straw-mat, straw-string, and straw-shoe making. Diverse theme pavilions including Nonggyeong Madang, Donghwa Madang, Pungnyeon Madang, Nori Madang, Giwon Madang, Ssalbap Café, Haepssal Geori, Haepssal Jangteo, and Jumak Geori, are open to visitors during the festival.
 
Other events such as a thanksgiving ritual, straw crafts making, a rice cooking competition, and carrying straw bags on a jige (a Korean A-frame carrier) will also be staged, and traditional agricultural activities such as threshing rice and making a straw roof will be reenacted. Visitors can buy rice that has been polished on the spot, and enjoy an opportunity to cook rice in a cauldron.◇ Icheon Rice Cultural Festival ⓒ G-News Plus
 
Siheung Gaetgol Festival
Gaetgol means “a winding waterway near the sea”. Along the gaetgol in Siheung, the habitats of many rare plants and animals – such as suaeda japonica, sea-blite, glasswort, phacelurus latifolius, and red-clawed fiddler crabs – can be seen.
 
In summer and winter, visitors can observe many thousands of fascinating living organisms. This festival is held every September at the Gaetgol Ecological Park in Siheung City, Gyeonggi Province.◇ Siheung Gaetgol Festival ⓒ G News Plus
 
Gapyeong Jarasum International Jazz Festival
The Jarasum International Jazz Festival is held every October on Jaraseom Island in Gapyeong-gun. Every year, more than 100,000 visitors flock to this festival to enjoy jazz music performed by internationally famous musicians.◇ Gapyeong Jarasum International Jazz Festival ⓒ G-News Plus
 
Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival
Hwaseong Cultural Festival, Suwon’s most representative festival, is held at Hwaseong Fortress every October around Suwon Citizens’ Day. It is designed to allow visitors to reflect on the innovative spirit and filial love of the Great King Jeongjo, the 22^nd king of the Joseon Dynasty.
 
During this festival, the way of life of both the royal family and commoners during the years of King Jeongjo’s reign will be reenacted, and a variety of hands-on experience events will be available as well. The festival is held at Suwonhwaseong Fortress in Suwon City.
 ◇ Suwon City’s Hwaseong Cultural Festival ⓒ G-News Plus

Yangpyeong Sannamul and Hanu Festival
This festival is held for 4 or 5 days every May at various Yongmunsan Resort, Yongmun Station, and Yangpyeong Narukke Festival Park. During the festival, various experience and cultural performances, exhibition programs, and a world DJ festival are staged. Visitors can buy wild vegetables and hanu (Korean beef), along with other excellent local agricultural products.◇ Yangypeong Sannamul and Hanu Festival ⓒ G-News Plus
 
ⓒ G-News Plus News| Im Sejin sejeenee@kg21.net
 
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