This guide summarizes official announcements and is not a firsthand visit review. Character illustrations are GPT-generated.
- Dates
- Fri, Oct 9, 2026 ~ Sun, Oct 18
- Hours
- Jinju Fortress Time Travel 10:00~20:00 (Fri, Sat, Sun until 22:00)
- Venue
- Jinju Fortress · Nam River area (Gyeongnam Arts & Culture Center, etc.)626 Namgang-ro, Jinju, Gyeongnam (Jinju Fortress area)
- Organizer
- Jinju City · Korean Federation of Arts and Culture Organizations Jinju Branch (Gaecheon Arts Festival Committee)
- Official
- Official notice (Korean) ↗
- Updated
- when we last re-checked the official notice
📅 Schedule at a glance
October 2026
Event daysHighlightsTodayKorean public holidays
Korea Meteorological Administration · 10/15, 5 AM issued · forecasts can change
📌 What's on each day
- 10/9FriHangeul Day★ Night Parade · Opening Ceremony · Choir FestivalToday
- 10/10Sat★ Parade · Opening Event · MusicalToday
- 10/11SunMusicalToday
- 10/12–18Mon–SunCelebration PerformanceToday
🔁 Daily · Jinju Fortress Time Travel Traditional Games · Nam River Riverside Market
2026 Gaecheon Arts Festival Schedule · Parade Times · Jinju Fortress Time Travel, Before Going with Kids
For ten autumn days, Jinju Fortress and the Nam River become a stage for the arts 🎭
The 75th Gaecheon Arts Festival, first held in 1949, will take place from October 9 (Fri) to 18 (Sun) at Jinju Fortress and the Nam River area.
The Jinju Battle Parade at 12:00 on the 10th (Sat) is highlighted by Jinju City as the ‘main event’ of the festival!
I’ve organized the schedule from the official festival website and Jinju City press releases.
🎪 About the Festival
The official website introduces the Gaecheon Arts Festival as the ‘origin of national cultural arts festivals.’ This year, there will be 56 events in 9 categories, including art competitions, performances, and exhibitions.
Many competitions are for participants, so for a family outing, focus on the parade, Jinju Fortress experiences, and evening performances.
🥁 What’s Happening When?
Here are family-friendly events in date order:
| Date & Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 10/9 (Fri) 16:00 | Opening Ceremony — Lighting of the Sacred Flame (Imjin War Memorial Altar), 18:00 National Defense Bell Ringing |
| 10/9 (Fri) 18:30 | Jinju Battle Night Parade — In front of Jinju Battle History Park → Gongbukmun Gate → Jinju Fortress (until 20:00) |
| 10/9 (Fri) 20:20 | 22nd Gaecheon Choir Festival |
| 10/10 (Sat) 11:00 | Opening Event · 11:30 75th Grand Drum Performance |
| 10/10 (Sat) 12:00 | Jinju Battle Parade — Jinju Fortress → Insa Square → Central Square → Jinju Middle School |
| 10/10 (Sat)·11 (Sun) 19:00 | Musical ‘Chokseoksanseong Aria’ (until 20:00) |
| 10/9 to 18 daily | Jinju Fortress Time Travel Traditional Games Experience |
The parade on the 10th is the 19th National Parade Competition. About 30 teams and 1,700 people will participate, and for the first time this year, a public institution character parade will be added.
🪁 What is Jinju Fortress Time Travel?
Jinju Fortress — View of a traditional hanok building at Jinju Fortress (Jul 2024) (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Gallery · 송희재 · KOGL Type 1)
Jinju Fortress — Seojangdae Command Post and fortress walls at Jinju Fortress (Jul 2024) (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Gallery · 송희재 · KOGL Type 1)
It’s a traditional culture experience yard held inside Jinju Fortress for ten days. On weekdays, it’s open 10:00~20:00, and on Fri, Sat, Sun until 22:00.
You can try traditional games like rolling hoops, tuho (arrow throwing), seesaw, yutnori, stone throwing, and archery. There are also experiences like building a hanok, crafts, Korean traditional music, and traditional wedding ceremonies.
On weekends, there are additional activities: a civil service exam experience (once a day) and traditional games events (three times a day). The Bong San Mask Dance wooden mask making is limited to the first 20 people each day.
Jinju Fortress is open free of charge until midnight during the Lantern Festival (until the 18th).
🎶 Evening Performances · Market
From the 12th, celebration performances are held every day at 19:00 on the special stage in front of the Imjin War Memorial Altar.
| Date (19:00) | Celebration Performance |
|---|---|
| 10/12 (Mon) | The Wind of Prayer |
| 10/13 (Tue) | Jinju Wind Orchestra Original Symphony ‘Jinju Fortress’ |
| 10/14 (Wed)·15 (Thu) | Open Culture & Arts Stage Performances |
| 10/16 (Fri) | Gaecheon EDM Carnival |
| 10/17 (Sat) | Rock Concert Festival |
| 10/18 (Sun) | Calling! Show Choir! |
From the 11th, there are also evening performances at 19:00 on the Nam River outdoor stage, and from the 10th, there are fringe performances in front of the Jinju Battle History Park and on the lawn in front of the Jinju Fortress well.
The market is held at Chilam-dong Nam River riverside from October 3 to 18. This year, Jinju City reduced the number of booths to 119 and nearly doubled the play area, adding food trucks and a dedicated food zone.
🚌 Getting There · Parking
Transportation is operated together with the Jinju Nam River Lantern Festival, which takes place at the same time.
You park at one of 36 temporary lots near the IC and national highway entrances and take a free shuttle bus. Shuttles run on October 9, 10, 11 and 16, 17, 18 from 16:00 to 23:00.
| Shuttle Drop-off | Shuttle Pick-up |
|---|---|
| Gyeongnam Arts & Culture Center | Innovation City (2 locations) · Agricultural Wholesale Market · Jinju Station |
| Nabulcheon Covered Road | Jinju Public Stadium · Jeongchon-myeon (Namjinju Hyundai Service) |
| Opposite The House Gap-eul | Sinan · Pyeonggeo Riverside Road |
For those who want to walk from nearby, there are the Jinju Battle History Park parking lot (149 spaces, paid) and Insadong public parking lot (74 spaces). City buses marked ‘Festival Bus’ also go to the festival site.
👨👩👧 If You’re Going with Kids
During the day, enjoy traditional games at Jinju Fortress Time Travel, and in the evening, watch the parade or performances.
When the night parade ends at 20:00 on the 9th, there will also be a fireworks show at the Lantern Festival on the Nam River at the same time.
(Shuttles start at 16:00)
Plan your route in advance using city buses or nearby parking lots.
⏳ Not Yet Announced
□ Operation of parade and outdoor performances in case of rain
□ Fringe performance times
□ Market operating hours and play facility fees
□ Parade viewing spots and traffic control times
These are not yet on the official website.
I’ll update this post when they’re announced.
If you have questions, call the Gaecheon Arts Festival at 055-752-0111.
👍 Recommended for These Families
✔ Families who want to show their kids a parade
✔ Families who want to try traditional games at Jinju Fortress
✔ Families planning to spend a day in Jinju with the Lantern Festival
For details on the Jinju Nam River Lantern Festival (fireworks on the 9th and 17th, drone show on the 10th and 17th) held at the same time → Go to Lantern Festival Post
Enjoy traditional games during the day and parades and performances in the evening— an arts festival that fills a day at Jinju Fortress.
This post is organized from official information before visiting in person. Photos marked ‘Photo Gallery’ are from the Korea Tourism Organization under KOGL Type 1 (shooting dates noted). Character images are GPT-generated.
📷 The festival in photos 8
Swipe to see more
🔄 Updates
- First write-up
📎 Sources
- 한국관광공사 관광사진 갤러리 — 진주성 사진(공공누리 제1유형) 한국관광공사 · 관공서
- 제75회 개천예술제 일자별 행사안내 개천예술제(개천예술제 제전위원회) · 주최
- 제75회 개천예술제 주요행사(서제·개제식·가장행렬·뮤지컬·체험행사·풍물시장) 개천예술제(개천예술제 제전위원회) · 주최
- 제75회 개천예술제 경연·축하·전시 개천예술제(개천예술제 제전위원회) · 주최
- 제75회 개천예술제 행사개요 개천예술제(개천예술제 제전위원회) · 주최
- 진주남강유등축제 첫날 관람객 18만 5천여 명 찾아…역대급 (개천예술제 일정 포함) 진주시 · 2026.10.6 · 관공서
- 진주시, ‘글로벌 축제 원년’…10월 3대 가을축제 ‘만전’ 진주시 · 2026.9.23 · 관공서
- 진주남강유등축제 공식 누리집 — 교통안내(10월 축제 셔틀·임시주차장) 진주남강유등축제(진주문화예술재단) · 주최
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)