"Your Visit Heals Yeongyang County"... 'Marketplace of Hope' Replaces Wild Greens Festival

Yeongyang Wild Greens Food Festival to Be Held for Three Days in May
A Community Event to Support Wildfire Recovery and Local Economy
Festival Features Wild Greens, Fundraising, and Special Programs for Victims

When spring arrives and the greenery begins to return after the white winter, wild greens appear as side dishes on the tables of Yeongyang County.

In Yeongyang, North Gyeongsang Province, 696.29㎢ of its total area of 815.86㎢ (85.3%) is forest, making the mountains and the people of Yeongyang inseparable companions in life.

However, the wildfire that broke out on March 25 took away lives, property, and much more over the course of a week.

Your visit becomes the healing of Yeongyang County. Provided by Yeongyang County

The disaster resulted in the deaths of 7 people, the destruction of 6,854 hectares of forest, 137 homes, 11 livestock sheds, and 110 hectares of forest products, causing the worst damage ever seen. The scars still remain deeply in Yeongyang.

Those who had lived with the mountains lost their homes in an instant and are now faced with uncertainty about their immediate future.

Help poured in from across the country, and in response, the county will hold the "Yeongyang Wild Greens Food Festival" from May 9 to 11 for three days, joining hands to support and heal the wildfire victims.

Your visit becomes the healing of Yeongyang County. Provided by Yeongyang County

Instead of the main stage of Yeongyang County's signature event, the "Yeongyang Wild Greens Festival," a "Wildfire Theme Hall" will be set up to share the dangers and pain of the wildfire. There will also be a fundraising event for wildfire victims. To revive the local economy, which has stagnated due to the fire, booths selling wild greens, a wild greens pancake street, and a barbecue area will be operated to promote the sale of local specialties, including wild greens, and a themed street will be run to support local businesses.

County Governor Oh Dochang said, "We are putting all available administrative resources and the county budget into wildfire recovery, but the reality is that Yeongyang County cannot overcome this alone. Although much help has already been sent from all over the country, I ask that you visit Yeongyang County during the 'Yeongyang Wild Greens Food Festival' and join us in healing the wounds caused by the wildfire."