[WEEKEND GETAWAY] Blossoms and beats: Four June festivals across Korea

Discover four vibrant outdoor festivals in Korea, featuring music, flowers and cultural performances in June.

Visitors of Mureung Byeolyucheonji in Donghae, Gangwon, take in the view of the lavender field at the Mureung Byeolcheonji Lavender Festival. [JOONGANG ILBO]

May was a month of family events and spring excitement, while June brings forth outdoor activities and a burst of festivals. As the weather warms — just before the heat wave strikes — cultural, musical and colorful festivals come alive, marking their annual openings.

For those seeking vibrant experiences across the country, whether it's an easily accessible riverside festival in Seoul or a journey to a different corner of the peninsula, here are four fun outdoor festivals set to delight locals and tourists alike in June.

Car-Free Jamsu Bridge Festival차 없는 잠수교 뚜벅뚜벅축제

Citizens enjoy the afternoon at the Car-Free Jamsu Bridge Festival in Seocho District, southern Seoul. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The Car-Free Jamsu Bridge Festival in southern Seoul has become a classic outing for both locals and tourists at the Han River. Operating since August 2022 under the Seoul Metropolitan Government, it's considered one of the major biannual festivals. Spanning the Jamsu Bridge and the Banpo Bridge area, the festival began on May 5 and will run until June 23, taking place every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

While the Jamsu Bridge connects Banpo and Yongsan in central Seoul, festival booths are concentrated on the Banpo-dong side of the bridge, spread throughout the Banpo Hangang River Park area. The Seoul Metropolitan Government aims to portray the festival as a “healing playground with all five senses,” incorporating various amusements to stimulate different senses. A night market with food trucks awaits visitors before the bridge's starting point, along with a soundless DJing area facing the trucks. Photo zones, flea markets, picnic areas and stages for live performances adorn both sides of the bridge.

@ddooddoo_festaDuration: May 5 - June 23, 2024Banpo Hangang River and Jamsu Bridge, Banpo-dong, Seocho District, southern SeoulWebsite: https://www.festa-ddooddoo.com/

Gangneung Danoje 강릉 단오제

Gangneung Danoje is a traditional festival held in Gangneung, Gangwon, wishing prosperity for the gods through a series of rituals. [GANGNEUNG DANOJE]

Gangneung, known for its beautiful beaches along the Donghae coastal area, hosts the annual Gangneung Danoje festival, adding another dimension to the city's allure. Danoje, also known as Dano Festival, is a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as well as Korea's Important Intangible Cultural Property.

The festival takes place annually on May 5 according to the lunar calendar, known as Dano. The name means the "highest day" or "god's day," a day to express gratitude to the gods and wish for the prosperity and well-being of the people. This year, the festival began on June 6 and will continue until June 13, surrounding Dano on June 10 by the lunar calendar.

The essence of the festival lies in its opening ritual of brewing sacred liquor, sinju, for the gods. Visitors can sample sinju, made from rice and rice cakes, at the venue. Throughout the festival, a variety of traditional performances and shows take place, including nongak (Korean traditional folk music), folk plays and a national Korean dance contest.

@gangneungdanoje1, Danojang-gil, Gangneung, Gangwon Duration: June 6 - June 13, 2024Phone number: 033-641-1593Website: https://www.danojefestival.or.kr/default_eng.asp

Jarasum Flower Festa자라섬 꽃 페스타

The flower garden in Jara Island, Gapyeong, Gyeonggi [JOONGANG ILBO]

Jarasum, or Jara Island, is renowned for its annual jazz festival in Gapeyong County, Gyeonggi, during the fall season. The island also hosts an annual flower festival, the Jarasum Flower Festa, from May 25 to June 16. The festival has already attracted more than 60,000 visitors in its first 10 days.

Spanning more than 80,000 square meters (20 acres), the venue showcases various flowers such as poppies, canola flowers, and petunias in a vibrant spectrum of hues. Once a sandy field, the garden transformed into a tourist hot spot in 2019, featuring wildflowers and unique architecture. Visitors can enjoy a mix of local and traditional activities, either free or at a nominal cost of around 5,000 won ($3.7), including walking tours, traditional outfit rentals or plastic recycling activities. The island is pet-friendly, allowing visitors to bring their furry friends along. The Jarasum Flower Festa will return in the fall, running through September and October.

@jarasum_flower_festa60 Jaraseom-ro, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong County, GyeonggiDuration: May 25 - June 16, 2024Operating hours: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.Admission fee: 7,000 won ($5.1) to be exchanged for a 5,000 won local voucher) Phone number: 031-580-2098

Mureung Byeolyucheonji Lavender Festival 무릉별유천지 라벤더축제

Mureung Byeolyucheonji in Donghae, Gangwon gets ready for the lavender festival two days before the starting date, on June 6, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Mureung Byeolyucheonji in Donghae is another burgeoning tourist destination in Gangwon Province, hosting a lavender festival from June 8 to June 23 this year. Formerly a site for mine excavation and limestone processing, it transformed into an activity park and observatory in 2021. The theme park now flourishes with its lavender fields, gardens, artificial lake and thrilling activities awaiting visitors.

Covering a 20,000 square-meter field with 13,000 lavender plants, the festival offers various lavender-related events to entertain visitors. Activities include making lavender pots, bouquets, and fragrant products, among others. Visitors can immerse themselves in the lavender theme through activities such as treasure hunting in the lavender field, participating in lavender healing yoga classes, and acquiring lavender-themed merchandise. Those dressed in purple attire at the ticket booth area can receive a souvenir from the festival committee.

762-6 Samhwa-dong, Donghae, GangwonDuration: June 8 - June 23, 2024Admission fee: 6,000 won for adultsPhone number: 033-532-1945Website: http://dhfesta.or.kr/dhlf/

BY KIM DONG-EUN [kim.dongeun@joongang.co.kr]