Expanded Operation for "Visit Gwangju Year" Across All Four Seasons
"May Gwangju" and "Passion x Exciting": 25 Days of Events
The integrated festival brand "G-Festa Gwangju," which made its debut last fall, will be held this year starting in spring, the so-called queen of seasons.
On May 14, Gwangju City announced that, in celebration of the "2025 Visit Gwangju Year," it will expand "G-Festa Gwangju" by organizing it around two themes during May and June.
The city plans to maximize synergy effects through close cooperation with the Gwangju Tourism Organization and each festival's organizing bodies, focusing on full-scale promotional marketing and content linkage.
"G-Festa Gwangju," which received positive reviews last year for increasing tourist numbers and enhancing the city's tourism image, will once again transform the entire city into a festival space, allowing both citizens and visitors to fully enjoy the "charm of Gwangju."
The spring season of "G-Festa Gwangju" consists of 11 festivals and events, divided into two themes: "May Gwangju" and "Passion x Exciting." In particular, "May Gwangju" will be presented in conjunction with the 45th anniversary of the Democratic Grand Festival, showcasing the richness and diversity of Gwangju.
◇ Speaking of May Gwangju
The first theme, "May Gwangju," features six festivals and events running until June 1. First, the "2025 World Human Rights Cities Forum," held over three days from May 15 to 17, will take place at the Kimdaejung Convention Center under the theme "Peace and Solidarity - Human Rights Cities Resisting War and Violence," with 27 programs across seven fields.
To commemorate the 45th anniversary of the 5·18 Democratization Movement, the "May Gwangju, Grand Festival of Democracy" will include pre-events such as the Democratic Peace March and Citizen Nanjang, as well as the May Lecture Competition and the Gwangju Human Rights Award Ceremony, all held around Geumnam-ro and 5·18 Democracy Square.
"Citizen's Day," which marks Gwangju's founding, will celebrate its 60th anniversary on May 24 with a commemorative ceremony, Sing Together, water sliding, and a policy evaluation expo, offering a variety of programs for citizens to enjoy at City Hall and its surroundings.
Under the theme "Speaking of Democracy, Human Rights, and Peace," the "Gwangju International Humanities Week" will be held from May 28 to 30 at the Kimdaejung Convention Center, featuring discussions and talk concerts on democracy and human rights in the AI era.
The "Mudeung Ullim Festival" will take place from May 24 to 25 at the Mudeungsan Traditional Culture Center, under the theme "Where Mountains and the Sea Meet," offering traditional cultural performances, a cultural marketplace, and various hands-on programs. The "Dong-gu Mudeungsan Humanities Festival," held from May 31 to June 1 at the Jeungsimsa District in Dong-gu, will present programs that combine the lush green nature of early summer with humanities and the arts.
◇ Tasting Exciting Gwangju
The second theme, "Passion x Exciting," will feature five festivals and events from May 29 to June 8, bringing even more enjoyment to the region. Three large-scale exhibitions will be held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center until June 1: "Gwangju Food Expo," the largest food industry exhibition in Honam; "Tea & Cafe Show," which showcases everything about tea, coffee, and desserts; and "Gwangju Liquor Tourism Festa," where visitors can taste and purchase a wide variety of alcoholic beverages from around the world.
"Gwangju Street Culture Festa," the city's top destination for street dance, will take place from June 5 to 8 at the National Asia Culture Center and 5·18 Democracy Square, featuring "Battle Line-up," a competition for professional dancers, as well as hands-on programs for both citizens and tourists to enjoy.
"Let's Floppy 3.0," which allows visitors to freely enjoy and share their preferences and cultures through exhibitions, talks, and music shows about street culture, will be held for two days on June 6 and 7 at the Kimdaejung Convention Center, offering new attractions for tourists.
In particular, during the "Passion x Exciting" period, a plaza culture event will be held at the outdoor plaza of the Kimdaejung Convention Center, featuring a flea market, beer festival, and street basketball. As this is the perfect season for outdoor activities, both citizens and visitors to Gwangju can look forward to a fun-filled experience.
From May 15 to 31, the "May Stamp Tour," which links festivals, events, and historic sites of the 5·18 Democratization Movement, will also be held, with Gwangju tourism souvenirs awarded as prizes to participants. Detailed information about the stamp tour and spring season festivals and events can be found on the official G-Festa Gwangju website.
Gwangju City and the Gwangju Tourism Organization plan to intensively promote "G-Festa Gwangju" by working with participating organizations to utilize various social networking services (SNS) and media, and by providing information on historical, cultural, and tourism resources around event venues to encourage tourists to return to Gwangju.
The city also plans to continuously advance the festival brand by organically combining major seasonal festivals and citizen cultural content, revitalizing the city as a whole and establishing itself as a leading tourism city nationwide.
Lee Seungkyu, Director of the New Vitality Promotion Headquarters, said, "This year, G-Festa Gwangju will start from the spring season, allowing both citizens and tourists to experience the emotions and charms of Gwangju throughout the city," adding, "We will present integrated and strategic cultural tourism marketing closely linked to the 2025 Visit Gwangju Year."
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