Jinhae Naval Festival Set for Spectacular Leap by Strengthening Stay-Type Content

The Jinheung Naval Festival, renowned as the largest spring festival in Korea, is set to undergo a dynamic transformation by strengthening its stay-type content.

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam Province will hold the 64th Jinheung Naval Festival from March 27, starting with the opening ceremony, through April 5, across the Jinhae District.

Kim Minki, Director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, briefing on the Jinheung Naval Festival.

This year’s Jinheung Naval Festival will feature a variety of programs designed so that tourists can stay and fully enjoy the romance of the cherry blossoms.

Main programs include the opening ceremony, the Jinheung Military Band Festival, the Yi Chungmugong Memorial Ceremony and Victory Parade, the Yi Chungmugong Victory Multimedia Fireworks Show, military base open house events, the Black Eagles Air Show, the Cherry Blossom Music Festival, the Naval K-POP Dance Competition, the Yeojwacheon Starlight Festival, and the Naval Festival Song Contest.

The Cherry Blossom Music Festival, now in its second year, will be held over three days from April 3 to April 5. The first day will feature trot performances loved by all ages, the second day will present ballad and retro genre artists that match the atmosphere of spring, and the final day will showcase energetic band performances aimed at younger audiences, further heightening the excitement of the event.

The most notable aspect of this year’s festival is the complete overhaul of the existing night market area around Jungwon Rotary to introduce the new “Naval Brand Fair” and “Naval Village.”

The “Naval Brand Fair” will be organized as an expo for small and medium-sized businesses, selling domestic SME brand products such as agricultural and marine products and daily necessities. The “Naval Village” will be created as a seated food zone where cherry blossoms and famous Korean foods come together. The city will systematize the layout and flow of booths in the former night market area and change the booth designs to create a cleaner and more sophisticated space, thereby enhancing visitor satisfaction.

This year, for the first time, an AI Video Contest will be held as an interactive content combining advanced technology. The contest invites citizens and tourists to create and submit videos featuring the cherry blossom scenery and urban charm of the Jinheung Naval Festival using AI video production technology, and anyone can participate.

To attract foreign tourists, the city will offer package products and strengthen global promotion through various channels such as social media and the Korea Tourism Organization. In addition, English, Japanese, and Chinese interpreters will be stationed at Yeojwacheon and Jinhae Station during the festival period, and brochures in four foreign languages will be produced and distributed to ensure smooth communication for international visitors throughout the festival.

The city will prioritize safety by conducting pre-inspections of all festival-related facilities before the event and establishing safety management systems tailored to different situations during the festival period, such as changes in tourist density and foot traffic, to create a safe environment where everyone can enjoy the festival with peace of mind.