Written: October 10, 2026 · Updated: October 10, 2026

This guide summarizes official announcements and is not a firsthand visit review. Character illustrations are GPT-generated.

Busan Jagalchi Festival 2026 Dates, Fireworks & Activities – What to Know Before Visiting Jagalchi Market with Kids

33rd Busan Jagalchi Festival poster — Oct 15 (Thu)–Oct 18 (Sun), 2026 (4 days), around Jagalchi Market (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

An autumn festival comes to the market
by the sea at Busan’s South Port 🐟

The 33rd Busan Jagalchi Festival (부산자갈치축제)
runs from October 15 (Thu) to 18 (Sun)
at Jagalchi Market, Yurari Square and nearby.

I checked Jung-gu’s newsletter “Nice Jung-gu” (September 28)
and Jung-gu’s culture and tourism festival page
again on October 10 and summarized them here.
Times and fees for most programs are not out yet.

🐟 What kind of festival is it?

Jagalchi Market — the market building with its white curved roof along the waterfront, and moored boats (2020) (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Gallery · 부산관광공사 · KOGL Type 1)

It’s a seafood festival held at Jagalchi Market
since 1992.
Its slogan is “Oiso! Boiso! Saiso!”
(Come, look, buy! in Busan dialect),
and it’s hosted and organized by the
Busan Jagalchi Culture and Tourism Festival Committee.

This year it’s introduced as
4 zones (madang) with about 20 programs.

Past festival — crowds along the market street lined with food tents (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

🎆 What happens on the first day (15th)?

Past festival sea god rite stage — performers in white robes with red sashes holding cymbals (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

On the first day, the schedule is listed by time,
from the afternoon sea god rite to the evening opening.

Korean singers 송가인, 김시훈,
손민채 and 백수정 are set to perform
in the opening ceremony’s finale concert.

Jung-gu’s festival page describes the fireworks spot
as over the South Port sea, in front of Jagalchi Market’s waterfront.
The exact time of this year’s fireworks
has not been announced separately yet.

🎤 What’s on stage on other days?

A singer performing on stage at a past festival (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

The start time of the song festival
and the stage lineup for the last day (18th, Sun)
are not in the newsletter.

🧒 What activities can kids try?

Past festival — a participant in waders holding up a fish caught in a pool (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

The festival’s signature hands-on programs
continue this year,
and new programs are being added.

Dates, times, fees and sign-up methods for each activity
are not in the official information yet.

Past festival — participants in yellow rubber gloves running with eels in hand (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

🍚 What food is there?

Past festival — people in chef's hats mixing a huge tray of vegetables and toppings with wooden paddles (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

There will be a free seafood tasting
and the “world’s biggest” Hanmaeum hoe bibimbap (raw fish rice bowl).

During the festival, there’s also a
”Jagalchi dried fish & beer” food corner
with the Nampo-dong dried seafood market merchants.

When the tasting and the hoe bibimbap take place
has not been announced yet.

🚇 Getting there & parking

There is no separate festival transport or parking notice.
Here are the address and contact
from Jung-gu’s festival page.

👨‍👩‍👧 If you’re going with kids

Most of the programs with set times
are on the afternoon and evening of the first day.

You could watch the sea god rite (14:00), look around the market
and stay on for the evening opening ceremony;
if activities are your focus,
it’s better to pick a date once activity times are announced.

⏳ What hasn’t been confirmed yet?

□ Activity times, fees and sign-up methods
□ Dates and times of the hoe bibimbap and tasting
□ Road closures, parking and public transport
□ Song festival time and the stage lineup on the 18th
□ What happens if it rains

These are not in the official information yet.
I’ll update this post when they come out.

👍 Recommended for these families

✔ Families who want to watch fireworks over the sea with kids
✔ Families looking for fish-themed activities
✔ Anyone who wants to combine a seafood market visit with festival food

Try planning around the first evening’s opening and fireworks
together with the market activities.

This article is based on official information, organized before visiting in person. Event photos are from the Korea Tourism Organization, released under KOGL Type 3 (attribution, no derivatives) and shown unedited. Photos marked ‘Photo Gallery’ are from the Korea Tourism Organization under KOGL Type 1 (shooting dates noted). The character illustrations are GPT-generated.

📷 The festival in photos 19

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AI-assisted translation. Numbers and article structure were checked against the Korean original on 2026-10-10. This is not a new verification of the event announcements. Original post (Korean)