Various Events Held Until April 3 This Year
The Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, heralding the arrival of spring in Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, held a spectacular opening ceremony at the Jinhae Public Stadium in Jinhae-gu on the 24th, officially kicking off the festival.
The festival, which runs until April 3rd across Jinhae-gu, Changwon City, also operates free shuttle buses for citizens and tourists.
The opening ceremony began with a pre-performance by the Navy Jinhae Base Honor Guard and the Navy Headquarters Military Band, fitting for a festival held in the hometown of the naval port.
Following the opening declaration, the Changwon Citizens' United Choir performed a 'Grand Chorus for Peace,' and popular singers such as 10CM, Park Chang-geun, Kim Hee-jae, Baek Su-jeong, Moon Cho-hee, Bae Jin-ah, and Park Jung-seo took the stage to elevate the excitement of the opening ceremony.
Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, said in his welcome speech, "After three years that felt like 'Chunrae Bulsachun' (spring comes but spring does not), meeting the citizens at the Jinhae Gunhangje feels like a dream," adding, "We will make the Jinhae Gunhangje, where history and future, nature and industry, youth and experience coexist, leap forward as a global representative brand festival befitting Changwon, the center city of Northeast Asia."
The Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, representing Changwon in Gyeongnam, held a spectacular opening ceremony at the Jinhae District Public Stadium and officially kicked off the festival.
The 61st Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, themed "A New World Opened by Cherry Blossoms," will be held from the 25th to April 3rd across various locations in Jinhae-gu, Changwon City, including Jungwon Rotary, Jinhaeru, Yeojuacheon, Gyeonghwa Station, and the Naval Academy.
Key event schedules include the Memorial Ceremony for Admiral Yi Sun-sin on the 25th at 1:30 PM at Bukwon Rotary, and the Victory Parade on the 31st at 3 PM along the route from Jinhae Public Stadium to Bukwon Rotary.
The highlight of the Gunhangje, the 'Military Band and Honor Guard Festival,' will take place over three days from the 31st to April 2nd at the Jinhae Public Stadium area. About 700 members from 14 teams, including the Republic of Korea Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, U.S. military military bands and honor guards, and Yeomgwang High School marching band, will showcase powerful marching performances and honor guard demonstrations. Fringe performances by military bands and honor guards will also be held at Seongsan-gu Sangnam Fountain Square on the 30th and Masanhappo-gu Odongdong Culture Square on April 1st.
Additionally, the Air Force's special flight team, the 'Black Eagles Air Show,' will spectacularly decorate the cherry blossom-filled Jinhae sky at 2 PM on the 31st. On April 1st and 2nd, the Patriotic Parade will march from 1:30 PM along the route from Bukwon Rotary to Jinhae Station, Jungwon Rotary, and the Public Stadium.
The nights of the Gunhangje are also dazzling. The Admiral Yi Sun-sin Victory Commemoration Maritime Fireworks Show will be held at 8 PM on the 29th over the sea in front of Jinhaeru. Yeojuacheon becomes a street of light with cherry blossoms and scenic lighting combined. In front of Jinhaeru, there is a Cherry Blossom Local Food Market, and food truck-style Cherry Blossom Food Markets are set up at Jungwon Rotary and Gyeonghwa Station, offering a variety of foods. The Cherry Blossom Culture Market (cultural and artistic performances) and Cherry Blossom DIY Market provide diverse sights and entertainment.
Especially at Jungwon Rotary, K9 self-propelled howitzers and K2 tanks produced by companies based in Changwon are exhibited to promote Changwon Special City as the 'mainstay of K-defense industry.'
During the Gunhangje, military bases such as the Naval Academy and Navy Jinhae Base Command, which are usually difficult to access, will be opened to the public. Various events are prepared, including ship tours, Turtle Ship boarding experiences, Navy photo exhibitions, military uniform experiences, and paintball gun shooting experiences, along with cherry blossom viewing.
The city expects about 4.5 million visitors to this year's Gunhangje and has introduced a 'Mobile Warning System' for safety measures. This device broadcasts warnings in advance when crowds gather and there is a risk of safety accidents. Additionally, about 6,000 personnel, including public officials and volunteers, will be deployed to manage safety and traffic at the event venues during the festival.
Temporary parking lots with about 15,000 spaces have been secured at military bases, schools, and government offices, and four free shuttle bus routes entering the festival site will operate at 10 to 15-minute intervals every weekend to minimize visitor inconvenience.
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