Jeonnam Selects 10 Representative Festivals for 2026... Expanding Competitiveness in Tourism

Selection of Regional Representative Events Including Jangheung Water Festival
Evaluation Focused on Identity and Economic Impact

On January 13, Jeonnam Province announced that it held a festival review committee to select 10 events, including the Jangheung Water Festival, as the "2026 Jeonnam Representative Festivals." The province aims to enhance the competitiveness of these festivals and help them expand globally.

The selected representative festivals are as follows: ▲ Top Prize: Jeonnam Jin Jangheung Water Festival ▲ Excellence Prize: Goheung Yuja Festival, Boseong Tea Festival, Hampyeong Korean Chrysanthemum Festival ▲ Promising Festivals: Mokpo Port Festival, Gwangyang Maehwa Festival, Damyang Bamboo Festival, Hwasun Dolmen Autumn Flower Festival, Haenam Minam Festival, and Jindo Sea Parting Festival.

The festival review committee is composed of experts in the fields of festivals, tourism, culture, and content. The committee conducted a comprehensive evaluation of each festival’s identity and uniqueness, potential to attract tourists, content quality, economic impact on the local community, and sustainability.

Jeonnam-do Provided Photo of Jeonnamjin Jangheung Water Festival Site.

The Jeonnam Jin Jangheung Water Festival was highly praised for its stable operation of large-scale participatory water activities using the Tamjin River, which flows through the city center, establishing itself as a leading summer festival nationwide. In particular, its exchange with Thailand's Songkran Water Festival demonstrated the potential for global festival collaboration. The festival was also commended for its programs involving both tourists and local residents, thorough safety management, and nighttime activities that contributed significantly to revitalizing the local economy.

Hampyeong Chrysanthemum Festival. Provided by Jeonnam Province

The Hampyeong Korean Chrysanthemum Festival was recognized for its high-quality exhibitions centered on chrysanthemums, as well as its well-balanced experiential and performance content, which enhanced the overall quality of the festival. Its thoughtful design for family visitors and stable operation were also highlighted as strengths.

Goheung Yuja Festival. Provided by Jeonnam Province

The Goheung Yuja Festival effectively promoted the brand value of Goheung yuja (citron) through differentiated content, including experiential and emotional programs utilizing yuja orchards and unique yuja sculptures. The festival’s resident-led management structure, which contributed to increasing farmers' income through the sale of fresh and processed yuja products, was highly regarded.

Boseong Tea Festival. Provided by Jeonnam Province

The Boseong Tea Festival was recognized for its competitive edge as a sustainable, industry-oriented festival. It offered unique experiences such as tea leaf picking and tea making in the terraced tea fields, connecting the tea industry with tourism through stay-type programs, and operating a systematic performance management system.

Jeonnam Province plans to provide a total of 200 million won in support for the 10 selected festivals: 50 million won for the top prize, 30 million won for each excellence prize, and 10 million won for each promising festival. The selected festivals will also be eligible to apply for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s preliminary cultural tourism festival program.

Choi Youngjoo, Director of Tourism and Sports at Jeonnam Province, stated, "These representative festivals are not merely local events but are the face of Jeonnam and a core asset of our tourism industry. We will continue to support and improve the quality of these festivals so they can leap beyond the national stage and onto the world stage."