Hwacheon County to Light Up Lantern Street on December 20, Marking the Start of the Winter Festival Season

The lighting ceremony for the Lantern Street, which marks the start of the winter festival season in Hwacheon County, will be held on December 20.

The appearance of the lantern street on the day before the lighting ceremony held last year. Provided by Hwacheon County

Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, will hold the Lantern Street lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. on December 20 along Jungang-ro in Hwacheon-eup.

Prior to this, starting at 5:20 p.m., an ice-breaking ceremony will take place at the Seohwasan Multipurpose Square in Hwacheon-eup to announce the opening of the Indoor Ice Sculpture Plaza.

On Lantern Street, tens of thousands of colorful LED lights and Sancheoneo lanterns, all handcrafted over the past year by local seniors, have been installed.

After the countdown, when the Sancheoneo lanterns are simultaneously illuminated along Lantern Street, a spectacular celebratory performance will follow.

This year, popular singers such as Cho Sungmo and Kim Jongseo will perform exciting stages for residents and tourists.

At the newly unveiled Indoor Ice Sculpture Plaza, visitors will be able to see famous architectural landmarks and various sculptures crafted by technical experts from Harbin Ice and Snow Culture Development Co., Ltd., who arrived last month.

The creation of the 1,700-square-meter Indoor Ice Sculpture Plaza involved the use of over 8,500 ice blocks.

The Indoor Ice Sculpture Plaza will be open to the public free of charge only on its opening day, December 20.

Meanwhile, in anticipation of large crowds, Hwacheon County will implement traffic control measures in the downtown area of Hwacheon-eup from 4 p.m. on December 21 until the event concludes.

During this period, parking along Jungang-ro and vehicle entry to Lantern Street will be restricted.

Choi Moonsun, Governor of Hwacheon County, stated, "We will return in January next year with a safe and enjoyable festival for the tourists who have waited all year."

The 2026 Ice Country Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival will be held for 23 days from January 10 to February 1 next year, taking place along the Hwacheon Stream and throughout Hwacheon-eup.