Yeongdeok’s Signature Festival
Brand Value of the Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival on the Rise
The 28th Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival 2025, held in Yeongdeok-gun, the hometown of snow crabs embraced by the pristine sea, will take place from the 14th to the 17th of next month at Ganggu Port Haepalang Park.
Organized by the Gyeongbuk Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival Promotion Committee, this festival welcomes domestic and international tourists with new experiences and a variety of food offerings.
First, the festival’s signature program, snow crab fishing, has been enhanced, and a new snow crab trap fishing experience program has been introduced.
The trap fishing program, where participants pull tangled trap lines to catch snow crabs, is a game in which, if lucky, visitors can receive not only Yeongdeok snow crabs but also local specialties as bonuses. The Promotion Committee is ambitiously preparing this as a new mascot program for the festival.
The Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival was established to widely promote the taste and quality of Yeongdeok snow crabs, which were served on the royal table during the reign of King Taejo of Goryeo. Accordingly, a variety of foods using snow crabs and clean Yeongdeok specialties will be showcased.
Inside large tents that shield visitors from the cold wind, you can taste specialty dishes made directly by local residents, such as snow crab kimbap, snow crab tteokbokki, and sea squirt bibimbap. Additionally, the interior of the tents will feature busking performances, creating an emotional pojangmacha (street food stall) atmosphere blended with beautiful melodies.
Side experience programs have also become richer. A children’s zone has been designated for families to enjoy, offering programs such as children’s VR experiences, fish catching, balloon making, and face painting, allowing kids to have a joyful time.
Programs created together with Yeongdeok-gun local residents also attract attention. Nine towns and townships within Yeongdeok-gun will directly operate distinctive mini-game experience programs, and various prizes will be provided based on game results.
Another notable point is the full introduction of kiosks at representative experience and food booths, including snow crab fishing, as well as general experience booths, to eradicate overcharging and improve festival convenience. Visitors to the festival can use kiosks to register for food and experience booths via KakaoTalk, making it easier to enjoy the festival.
An overcharging reporting system will also be operated. If prices at booths within the festival grounds are higher than those previously indicated or if overcharging is suspected, contacting the Promotion Committee’s secretariat will result in immediate action on site.
Using the Hometown Love Donation Program is also a hidden tip for festival users. The popular snow crab fishing experience, which often sells out or has long waiting times due to high demand, can be purchased in advance through reservations on the Hometown Love Donation Mall (twice during the festival period). Detailed information can be found on the Hometown Love Donation Thank You Gift Mall.
A Yeongdeok-gun official stated, “This year’s festival venue has been changed to Haepalang Park adjacent to Ganggu Port Snow Crab Street, coinciding with the opening of the Donghae Jungbu Line railway. We expect more visitors than last year and a significant increase in economic ripple effects. We will also make thorough preparations for safety issues and traffic management, including parking.”
Lee Sang-ho, chairman of the Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival Promotion Committee, said, “We prepared this festival together with local residents to enhance the status of the region’s representative brand. We will do our best to operate the festival so that tourists leave Yeongdeok with only pleasant memories and strengthen the firm standing of the Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival as the region’s representative festival.”
Detailed information about the 28th Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival can be found on the ‘Yeongdeok Tourism Stay Yeongdeok’ website.
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