Haman County to Hold the 12th Gangju Sunflower Festival Earlier Than Usual

Festival Begins on the 22nd ... Opening Ceremony at 11 a.m. on the 26th

The "12th Gangju Sunflower Festival," where a spectacular wave of yellow sunflowers marks the beginning of summer, will be held about two weeks earlier than usual due to early blooming.

Haman County, Gyeongnam, announced on the 19th that the "12th Gangju Sunflower Festival" will open from the 22nd at Gangju Village in Beopsu-myeon (16, Beopsu-myeon Gangju 4-gil) and its surrounding area.

The 12th Gangju Sunflower Festival will be held earlier than scheduled.

The opening ceremony of the "12th Gangju Sunflower Festival" will begin at 11 a.m. on the 26th with a performance by Haman Hwacheon Nongak. According to the county, the festival was originally scheduled to end on July 14, but may conclude earlier depending on the blooming situation.

Organized by the Gangju Sunflower Festival Committee, the festival takes place in Gangju Village, which is surrounded by Beopsusan Mountain like a folding screen.

Within a total planted area of 37,000 square meters, sunflowers, zinnias, and a unique gourd tunnel greet visitors. To ensure a successful festival, local residents worked together to perform vinyl mulching before sowing seeds, which helps prevent weeds and retain moisture, allowing the sunflowers to grow well.

During the festival, a variety of side events will be held, including a food market, gallery, direct sales market for agricultural and specialty products, and a village market. Additionally, a photo event will take place in Sunflower Complex 1 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on July 6 and 7, which is expected to draw great interest from visitors.

There will also be busking performances in front of the Sunflower Center ("Gsebians" on June 29-30 and July 6-7 at 2 p.m. / "Kaltoegeun" on July 6 at 11 a.m.), adding to the festive atmosphere.

For the convenience of festival visitors, parking spaces have been secured, and five event parking lots will be operated, with two additional temporary parking lots available on weekends.

The two temporary parking lots (operating on Saturdays and Sundays) are located at the former Beopsu Middle School and Gangju General Industrial Complex. Shuttle buses will run every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, with the boarding point at Parking Lot 2. After getting off the shuttle, visitors walk to the festival site, and after touring, they can return to Parking Lot 2 to take the shuttle bus back.

Meanwhile, despite inclement weather, last year's Gangju Sunflower Festival attracted about 59,000 tourists from across the country. In particular, photographers and tourists from all over Korea continued to visit throughout the event.

On the June 10 episode of the tvN program "Freehan19," Gangju Sunflower Village was introduced as a must-visit photo spot under the theme "My Own Summer Vacation in Advance."

For the festival, local residents selected appropriate fertilizers and new seeds for the sunflower fields and used sowing methods suitable for the climate to ensure excellent growth. They also installed protective nets to prevent bird damage, performed vinyl mulching to retain moisture and suppress weeds, and carried out bamboo removal projects to secure scenic views.

As a result, the festival became a model case of a successful resident-led village festival, winning the Prime Minister's Award in the landscape and environment category at the "1st Happy Village Making Contest."