Gwangju Dong-gu's "Gwangju Nostalgic Chungjang Festival" and the global buskers' competition "Busking World Cup" were selected as "Top 100 Local Success Stories" hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and received the Minister's Award. Provided by Gwangju Dong-gu
Gwangju Dong-gu announced on the 22nd that its signature annual street festival, the "Gwangju Nostalgic Chungjang Festival," along with the global busker competition "Busking World Cup," were selected as "Local 100 Best Practices" by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and received the Minister's Award.
"Local 100 (Top 100 Local Cultural Attractions)" is a project led by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to effectively discover and promote representative cultural resources in each region. The initiative selects 100 distinctive cultural assets based on local culture, including cultural facilities, cultural streets, cultural shops, cultural festivals, and cultural experiences. This year, Gwangju Dong-gu's "Gwangju Nostalgic Chungjang Festival & Busking World Cup," Jung-gu Daegu's "Modern History Alley Tour," and Mundang Environmental Agricultural Village in Hongseong-gun, Chungnam, received the Minister's Award.
First launched in 2004, the Gwangju Nostalgic Chungjang Festival has provided unique experiences to both locals and tourists through content themed around "nostalgia" and "sharing," set against the backdrop of Chungjang-ro and Geumnam-ro. The festival features a variety of participatory structures, including programs for children and families, a youth planning team, citizen-led programs, and street parades involving teams selected through national competitions as well as administrative districts.
The Chungjang Festival is highly regarded as a festival that revitalizes the old downtown by utilizing local cultural and artistic resources and regional identity. It has received praise for fostering a sense of community, as local arts organizations and youth planning teams actively participate in setting the festival's direction and creating its content.
Im Taek, head of the district office, stated, "This recognition as a best practice is the result of the collective efforts of citizens, local organizations, and related agencies who have planned and operated the festival. We will continue to expand cultural spaces where citizens take the lead, by developing festivals that reflect the region's history, culture, and unique characteristics."
Meanwhile, the 22nd Gwangju Nostalgic Chungjang Festival was held from October 15 to 19 under the theme "Nostalgic Fairy Tales" along Chungjang-ro and Geumnam-ro. This year, citizen participation programs such as the Rice Ball Contest and Asia Culture Day were well received. On the final day, the festival concluded on a high note with a spectacular drone show unveiling next year's theme, "Nostalgic Songs."
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