Seoul Spring Flower Festival's Main Attraction Cherry Blossoms Expected to Fully Bloom Next Week... Yeouido Spring Flower Festival and Songpa Lake Cherry Blossom Festival Atmosphere Still Quiet
Choi Ho-gwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, who attended the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival opening parade, is walking together with children.
Seoul, where cherry blossom festivals are in full swing at Yeouido and Songpa's Seokchon Lake.
The forsythias are in full bloom, but the cherry blossoms are still in buds.
People eager to see the representative flower, the cherry blossom, are still waiting as the buds have yet to burst open.
The cherry blossoms, the main attraction of the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival and the Songpa (Seokchon) Lake Festival, are expected to bloom fully sometime next week.
Because of this, autonomous districts such as Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) and Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) are expressing regret that the cherry blossoms, the stars of the festivals, have not yet fully bloomed, while welcoming citizens who come to visit.
Yeouido Spring Flower Festival opens on the 29th, runs until April 2... Traffic control likely to be extended in preparation for full cherry blossom bloom next week
Seoul's representative spring flower festival, the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival in Yeongdeungpo-gu, will be held from March 29 to April 2 along Yunjung-ro, and the Songpa Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival will take place from March 27 to 31.
Choi Ho-kwon, mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, attended the opening parade on the afternoon of the 29th to mark the start of the 18th Yeongdeungpo Yeouido Spring Flower Festival.
The opening ceremony, the first event of the festival, was held from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Starting with the "Flower Path Walk" involving about 450 participants including the military band and local residents, the event featured a video congratulatory message from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, a volunteer orchestra, musical actress Jung Sun-ah, and a traditional military band, making the festival's start even more meaningful.
The 18th Yeongdeungpo Yeouido Spring Flower Festival runs from March 29 to April 2. Visitors can enjoy a "spring flower picnic" while admiring the splendid spring flowers lining Yeouiseo-ro.
In a phone interview on the morning of the 30th, Mayor Choi said, "The cherry blossoms are just about to bloom, holding buds that might suddenly open when exposed to sunlight," adding, "The Han River lakeside area is well prepared with soccer fields and food stalls, so many citizens are expected to visit today and tomorrow, which are weekends."
He also said, "From today, performances centered around residents from 18 neighborhoods will be held," and "On the 31st at 2 PM, there will be an Air Force airshow."
Yeongdeungpo-gu is considering extending traffic control along Yunjung-ro starting next week when the cherry blossoms are expected to bloom fully and attract many visitors.
Meanwhile, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min is expected to inspect the early voting stations for the April 10 general election and check safety at the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival site on the 30th.
Celebrating its 18th year, this festival is themed "Picnic under the Cherry Blossom," with the entire venue designed as a "campnic" (camping + picnic) zone to allow visitors to leisurely enjoy spring in the city.
Notably, this year introduces the "Yeongdeungpo Art Cube," showcasing artworks by local Yeongdeungpo artists for the first time. The Art Cube features small-scale works priced under 1 million won and facilitates sales. Visitors can appreciate various works including the sculpture "Dog" by Kim Woo-jin, a rising star in contemporary art, along with pieces by artists from Mullae-dong and the local area.
Additionally, Seoul's first program providing festival commentary for visually impaired visitors, "Spring Flower Walk with the Heart," will be developed and operated. A video narrator will accompany participants, allowing them to experience spring through auditory and tactile senses, complemented by a Han River yacht experience for a unique adventure. This program will run once daily from March 29 to April 2, with plans to refine it after this pilot year and convert it into a regular program next year.
With about 1,800 cherry trees creating a magnificent spectacle, this festival offers a variety of attractions, food, and entertainment for visitors.
Starting with the "Flower Path Walk" parade involving about 500 residents on the first day, the festival features ▲ the "Spring Flower Stage" with diverse musical performances every afternoon ▲ the "Food Picnic Zone" with various food options ▲ street performances enlivening the cherry blossom paths ▲ rest areas scattered throughout the venue ▲ a "Yacht Tour" in collaboration with Seoul Marina Resort ▲ and photo zones perfect for capturing memories with the cherry blossoms.
Furthermore, the district operates the "Yeongdeungpo Spring Flower Sale Festa," offering discounts at restaurants, hotels, and more for visitors to the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival. This runs from March 25 to April 30. Detailed discount information and participating locations can be found on the "Yeongdeungpo Sale Festa" website.
Additionally, services such as a tourist information center with foreign language support, stroller and baby wagon rentals, baby rest areas, and a medical support situation room are provided to ensure visitors have a comfortable spring flower picnic experience.
Songpa-gu's "Beautiful Spring, Cherry Blossom Story Lake Cherry Blossom Festival" opens on the 27th... runs until the 31st
Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) is holding the "Lake Cherry Blossom Festival" at Seokchon Lake, one of Seoul's representative cherry blossom spots, for five days from March 27 to 31.
Mayor Seo Gang-seok said, "Songpa's cherry blossom festival is the only festival in Seoul where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of a lake and cherry blossoms in the city," adding, "Following the luminaria that lit up Seokchon Lake last fall and winter, the 'Beautiful Spring, Cherry Blossom Story Lake Cherry Blossom Festival' returns to welcome the new spring," announcing the start of the festival.
This year's highlight of the Lake Cherry Blossom Festival is the "Cherry Blossoms at Night." White lights are installed along the entire 2.6 km of Seokchon Lake, creating a fantastic cherry blossom nightscape. Visitors can enjoy a unique view where 1,100 cherry trees?including king cherry, mountain cherry, weeping cherry, and double cherry trees?are illuminated by pure white light.
In particular, the landscape lighting is installed higher than human height to minimize glare, allowing visitors to enjoy the splendidly lit cherry blossoms along the lakeside even at night and fully savor the spring atmosphere.
During the five days of the festival, a variety of performances including K-pop, classical, and jazz will be presented for all age groups to enjoy together.
On the first day, March 27, the opening ceremony "Welcoming the Cherry Blossoms" was held from 6:00 PM to 7:40 PM. The event featured a splendid lineup of performances starting with classical and vocal duets, followed by the show choir group Harmonize, the popera group Bohemian's musical crossover, and a stage by K-pop singer Soyou, elevating the festival atmosphere.
From March 28 to 30, from 2:00 PM to 6:40 PM, various performances will be held on the lakeside stage at Seokchon Lake's East Lake, including concerts by the Songpa-gu Choir and Songpa-gu Silver Orchestra, youth busking, acoustic pop, and jazz performances.
On the final day, March 31, from 5:30 PM, visitors can enjoy the "Cherry Blossom Full Bloom Concert." The program includes a dazzling performance by the electronic string group Trinity, an emotional stage by jazz band Updatbrown, an exciting medley by the a cappella group Exit, and concludes with a performance by the four-member girl group "Hi-Key."
In addition, the festival features a magnificent "Cherry Blossom Gate" installed at the entrance of Seokchon Lake's East Lake, photo zones with Songpa-gu's mascot Haha Hoho, and various experience programs such as caricature drawing, face painting, and cherry blossom candle making. A flea market selling cherry blossom-themed accessories and crafts adds to the fun.
Moreover, the district has focused on safety management to ensure all visitors enjoy the festival without accidents. 23% of the festival budget was allocated to safety management. Every day, about 200 safety personnel are deployed throughout the venue to maintain order, and a multi-crowd convergence analysis platform will be used for real-time monitoring.
Seo Gang-seok, mayor of Songpa-gu, said, "We have made thorough preparations to ensure everyone visiting the festival can safely enjoy the cherry blossoms," and added, "We hope many people come to the 'Beautiful Spring, Cherry Blossom Story Lake Cherry Blossom Festival' to create precious memories by the cherry blossom-covered lake."
However, the cherry blossoms at Songpa's Seokchon Lake have not yet bloomed, so there are not many visitors to the festival.
The Dongdaemun-gu Jangandong Spring Flower Festival will also be held on the 30th and 31st.
Meanwhile, the Seongdong-gu Eungbongsan Forsythia Festival was held from the 21st to the 23rd.
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