Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) announced that from May 17 to 19, the district's representative festival, the "Geumcheon Harmony Festival," will be held around Geumcheon-gu Office Plaza, Geumnarae Central Park, and Anyangcheon Multipurpose Plaza.
This year's festival slogan is "The Future of Geumcheon Unfolding Through Harmony," symbolizing the district's diverse cultural resources and local residents singing together for Geumcheon's future. Marking the 30th anniversary of the district office's establishment next year, Geumcheon-gu plans to announce a new urban brand symbolizing a fresh start and new changes.
Main programs include the "Opening Ceremony," featuring the urban brand announcement and opening celebration performances; the "Closing Ceremony," held in collaboration with public broadcaster TBS; and the "Harmony Choir Showcase Performance," aimed at fostering a choral arts ecosystem.
The opening ceremony will take place on May 18 from 7 PM to 10 PM on the central stage in front of the district office plaza. It will begin with pre-performances such as the Geumcheon Musical Center's "Les Mis?rables" and the Neumnae Gugak Art Troupe's traditional Korean music performance, followed by the urban brand unveiling performance and the official declaration of the "Geumcheon Harmony Festival" opening. Afterwards, the celebratory "Harmony Concert" featuring popular singers Big Mama and Sweet Sorrow will be held.
The "Harmony Choir Showcase Performance," symbolizing Geumcheon coming together as one through diverse voices, reflects the festival's identity. This choral concert, introducing not only traditional choir but also various styles, will be held on May 19 from 1 PM to 4 PM on the central stage in front of the district office plaza. Local choirs such as the Geumcheon-gu Women's Choir and Geumcheon Senior Choir, along with professional choirs including "Heritage Mass Choir," winners of SBS's "Sing for Gold," will perform a variety of choral styles including pop, jazz, and a cappella.
The closing ceremony will be held on May 19 from 7 PM to 10 PM on the central stage in front of the district office plaza. This program, linked with a TBS radio public broadcast, features numerous artists popular among middle-aged and older audiences, allowing many residents to enjoy the festival's finale. Nine teams, including popular singers Park Hyun-bin and Kim Beom-ryong, are scheduled to perform.
Performance programs include "Harmony Live," featuring local artists such as Lee Hyun-seung and regional cultural arts groups, and "Harmony Stage," involving local residents and young artists.
"Harmony Live" will be held on May 18 from 1 PM to 4:30 PM on the central stage in front of the district office plaza, showcasing diverse performances by local theater groups, traditional arts teams, and music ensembles. "Harmony Stage" will take place on May 18 and 19 at Geumnarae Central Park from noon to 8 PM, offering performances including resident participation shows, magic, and mime that both adults and children can enjoy.
Additionally, media art and light sculptures create a nighttime-friendly atmosphere, and citizen participation programs themed around music, eco-friendly experience programs for family visitors, and food trucks providing refreshments and rest areas will be available around the district office during the festival.
Related programs include "Geumcheon and Harmony," promoting the new urban brand, and "Geumcheon Market for You," encouraging participation in eco-friendly consumption culture while enjoying the festival.
Also, the walking program "Happy Harmony Happy Walking" along the Anyangcheon area, the resident-planned experience and performance zone "Harmonious Zone," and the "Reading City Reading Plaza," promoting Geumcheon-gu's reading culture as the chair city of the National Reading City Council, offering a comfortable book culture experience by the Anyangcheon riverside, will be operated.
To boost festival atmosphere, pre-promotion performances will be held from May 13 to 17. From May 13 to 17 at noon and 6 PM, "Seoul Street Performance Nooks Live" and "Open Cultural Performances" will be presented at the district office plaza, Gasan Digital Complex Station, Doksan Station, and Geumcheon-gu Office Station areas.
Meanwhile, to ensure smooth event progress and participant safety, roads around Geumcheon-gu Office will be closed from 1 AM on May 18 until midnight on May 19. The district is fully prepared for festival safety management.
Last year's "Geumcheon Harmony Festival" attracted over 15,000 participants and concluded successfully with enthusiastic responses. It was praised as a festival that transformed residents' everyday spaces into a festival plaza adorned with spring flowers and blossomed with various cultural programs to fully enjoy spring.
Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "This year's Geumcheon Harmony Festival is prepared as a festival in anticipation of the 30th anniversary of the district office next year, featuring the urban brand announcement ceremony and various contents full of our district's unique characteristics that anyone thinks of when they hear Geumcheon." He added, "Through this festival, I hope Geumcheon becomes a place where many voices come together as one, just as many appearances unite as one."
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