This guide summarizes official announcements and is not a firsthand visit review. Character illustrations are GPT-generated.
- Dates
- Fri, Oct 9, 2026 ~ Sun, Oct 11
- Hours
- 13:00~22:00 (Moonlight Market until midnight)
- Venue
- Bonghwangdae, Woljeonggyo and downtown Gyeongju261 Nodong-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk (Bonghwangdae)
- Fee
- Free
- Organizer
- Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongju City, Gyeongju Cultural Foundation (organizer)
- Official
- Official notice (Korean) ↗
- Updated
- when we last re-checked the official notice
📅 Schedule at a glance
October 2026
Event daysHighlightsTodayKorean public holidays
📌 What's on each day
- 10/9FriHangeul Day★ Hwa-baek Festival · Opening Circus · Outdoor CinemaToday
- 10/10Sat★ Hwa-baek Festival · Hip-hop PerformanceToday
- 10/11Sun★ Closing Fireworks · Outdoor CinemaToday
🔁 Daily · Silk Road Festa 13:00~22:00 · Moonlight Market · Welcome Kids Zone
2026 Silla Cultural Festival Schedule · Hwa-baek Festival Times · Parking, Before Visiting Bonghwangdae and Woljeonggyo with Kids
The autumn breeze is blowing over the ancient tombs
in Gyeongju this October 🍂
It’s the 53rd time!
The 53rd Silla Cultural Festival will be held
from Friday, October 9 to Sunday, October 11
during the three-day Hangul Day holiday
in downtown Gyeongju, including Bonghwangdae and Woljeonggyo.
Admission and all performances and programs are completely free.
I’ve organized the city’s press release (October 1) and
the festival website guidebook for you.
📅 What’s happening each day over the three days?
There are four main themes.
| Date & Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 9th (Fri) & 10th (Sat) 19:00 | Hwa-baek Festival Woljeonggyo Water Performance ‘Silla, One Light’ (about 40 min) |
| Every day 13:00~22:00 | Silk Road Festa 26 teams, 61 street performances at Bonghwangdae and downtown |
| Every day 13:00~midnight | Moonlight Market Night market at Bonghwangdae, Jungang-ro, Geumgwanchong area |
| 10th (Sat) 17:00~21:00 | Hwarang Hip-hop Festa Naenam Intersection |
According to the city’s press release,
Silk Road Festa starts at 13:00.
But the schedule image on the website
shows it starting from 15:00.
Here are the main daily performances
on the big stage (Stage 1) at Bonghwangdae.
| Date | Main Performance at Bonghwangdae |
|---|---|
| 9th (Fri) | Opening Dongchun Circus 15:30 at Sikrichong Lawn · 20:45 at Bonghwangdae |
| 10th (Sat) | Luminary ‘Flower Bed’ Aerial & Fire Show 13:30 · 21:00 |
| 11th (Sun) | Closing ‘Path of Fire’ Art Fireworks Hwarang 21:00 |
At night, there’s a lighting performance
on the Bonghwangdae tombs for 5 minutes.
It’s at 21:40 on the 9th, 21:25 on the 10th, and 21:30 on the 11th.
🏛️ About the Festival
This is Gyeongju’s representative cultural festival
that showcases Silla’s history and culture
through performances, street art, and hands-on experiences.
It’s hosted by Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju City,
and organized by the Gyeongju Cultural Foundation.
The Hwa-baek Festival is a performance
based on the legend of Park Hyeokgeose and Alyeong.
It features a Woljeonggyo media facade, fireworks drones,
3D flying show, and fireworks display.
🎪 Performances & Experiences for Kids
I’ve picked out kid-friendly shows
from the guidebook schedule.
| Date | Performance · Time · Stage |
|---|---|
| 9th (Fri) | Bubble Car ‘Dream Bubble Train’ 14:00·16:30·19:00 Bonghwang-ro / Puppet Show ‘The Little Mermaid’ 15:00·17:30 Silla Great Bell |
| 10th (Sat) | Bubble Show ‘Gyeongsang Province Bubbles’ 15:30 Silla Great Bell·19:30 Sikrichong / Puppet Show ‘Come On Baby’ 14:00·17:00 |
| 11th (Sun) | Puppet Show ‘Come On Baby’ 15:40·18:40 Silla Great Bell / Family Comedy ‘We Are the Champions’ 14:00·16:30 |
There are also special hands-on experience zones.
| Experience · Time · Location | Details |
|---|---|
| Welcome Kids Zone 13:00-18:00 in front of Silla Great Bell | Straw playground, making garlands, kites, crowns, drawing on the road with chalk |
| Goma Post Office 13:00-18:00 lawn behind Beopjangsa | Draw a Silla friend and 30 kids get a matching doll as a gift |
| Forest of Light 14:00-22:00 in front of Seobongchong | Find scattered pieces of light in the forest, daily portrait scrolls for the first 50 people |
| Quiet Cinema 9th & 11th 20:00 | Naenam Intersection lawn, 9th: ‘The King and the Man Who Lives’ (family recommended) |
For the Quiet Cinema,
bring your phone and Bluetooth earphones.
🚌 Getting There · Parking · Traffic Control
Based on the guidebook directions.
| From Gyeongju Station (KTX) | How to get there · Time |
|---|---|
| Bonghwangdae | Bus 50, 51, 60, 61 get off at Seorabeol Intersection about 30 min · Taxi about 20 min |
| Woljeonggyo | Bus 710, 711 get off at Wolseong-dong Community Center, walk past Cheomseongdae for 15 min · Taxi about 20 min |
From the bus terminal to Woljeonggyo
takes about 12 min by taxi.
Parking is at public parking lots
listed in the website FAQ.
Separate fees may apply.
| Nearby | Public Parking Lots |
|---|---|
| Bonghwangdae | Bonghwangdae · Central Shopping District · Gyeongju City No.1 · Cheoksaem Public Parking Lot |
| Woljeonggyo | Woljeonggyo Public Parking Lot (153-5 Gyodong) |
Traffic control information in advance.
| Section | Control Time |
|---|---|
| Jungang-ro (from Silla Great Bell to CU Convenience Store) | 8th (Thu) 12:00 to 12th (Mon) 12:00 |
| Bonghwang-ro (from Cheonggiwa Intersection to Naenam Intersection) | 9th (Fri) 09:00 to 11th (Sun) 22:00 |
| From Woljeonggyo Public Parking Lot to Museum Intersection | 9th & 10th 18:30 to 20:30 (includes Woljeonggyo pedestrian area) |
👨👩👧 If You’re Going with Kids
There are information desks,
rest areas for infants (nursing rooms), and a medical room at the venue.
If a child gets lost,
the festival information booth will make an announcement.
Kids Zone activities can get clothes dirty,
so bring a change of clothes.
Goma Post Office may run out of art supplies,
so bring your own drawing board and crayons.
If it rains, performance and experience locations and times
may change, and updates will be posted
on the website and Instagram.
If you leave, you may not be able to re-enter
The audience area may become standing only
Elderly guests are recommended to use the picnic mat zone
⏳ What’s Not Announced Yet
□ Whether shuttle buses will operate
□ Parking fees for public lots during the festival
□ Locations of infant rest areas and general information desks
These are not yet in the official information.
I’ll update this post when they are announced.
If you’re curious, contact the Gyeongju Cultural Foundation
at 054-776-5265.
👍 Recommended for These Families
✔ Kids who love circus, puppet shows, and bubble shows
✔ Families who want to see the Woljeonggyo night water performance
✔ Families looking for a Gyeongju outing during the Hangul Day holiday
From daytime street performances to nighttime fireworks,
enjoy this Gyeongju festival for free all three days.
This post is organized from official information before visiting. The character images are GPT-generated.
🔄 Updates
- First write-up
📎 Sources
- 천년 신라의 역사와 문화, 경주의 가을을 물들인다 — 제53회 신라문화제, 10월 9~11일 월정교·봉황대 등 도심 일원에서 개최 경주시 · 2026.10.1 · 관공서
- 2026 제53회 신라문화제 가이드북 공개 신라문화제 공식 누리집(경주문화재단) · 2026.9.30 · 주최
- 신라문화제 공식 누리집 — 개요·행사일정표·행사장 지도 신라문화제 공식 누리집(경주문화재단) · 주최
- 체험/휴식공간 — 웰컴키즈존·요즘신라존·조용한 영화관 신라문화제 공식 누리집(경주문화재단) · 2026.10.1 · 주최
- 자주묻는 질문(입장료·주차·우천·편의시설) 신라문화제 공식 누리집(경주문화재단) · 주최
- 신라문화제 문화체육관광부 지역축제 · 관공서
- 🗓️ 경주 축제·행사·공연 알리미 [10월] 경주시 공식 블로그 '경주애' · 2026.9.30 · 관공서
This is a guide based on official announcements, not a visit review. Schedules, programs and fees can change, so please re-check the official notice before you go.
AI-assisted translation. Numbers and article structure were checked against the Korean original on 2026-10-09. This is not a new verification of the event announcements. Original post (Korean)