This guide summarizes official announcements and is not a firsthand visit review. Character illustrations are GPT-generated.
- Dates
- Fri, Oct 16, 2026 ~ Sun, Oct 18
- Venue
- Railway Culture Park area (철도문화공원 일원)245-239 Gangnam-dong, Jinju, Gyeongnam (경남 진주시 강남동 245-239, 철도문화공원)
- Organizer
- Jinju City (organized by the Jinju Craftsmen's Association)
- 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, 2 AM issued · forecasts can change
📌 What's on each day
- 10/17Sat★ Drones & fireworksToday
- 10/18SunExhibit ends · Lanterns endToday
🔁 Daily · Craft exhibits & sales · workshops · wish lanterns · lanterns from 18:00
2026 Jinju Craft & Light Festa Dates, Wish Lanterns & Lantern Displays – Railway Culture Park with Kids
Autumn in Jinju, when the lanterns light up —
local craftspeople gather at Railway Culture Park 🏮
The 2026 Jinju Craft & Light Festa (진주공예인축제한마당)
October 16 (Fri) to 18 (Sun)
runs for three days around Railway Culture Park.
I’ve summarized Jinju City’s press release (September 21)
and the city’s “October Festival Guide.”
🎪 What kind of event is it?
Its English name is
”JINJU CRAFT & LIGHT FESTA.”
It’s organized by the Jinju Craftsmen’s Association.
It’s one of the city’s
three major October craft events,
announced together with a student exhibition and a craft masterpieces show.
Jinju is a “UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art.”
The press release says it is held in step with
the “Jinju World Folk Arts Biennale,“
and the city’s October guide also lists the Biennale
on the same dates at the same place.
✨ What can you do there?
These are the programs listed in the press release.
| Program | Details |
|---|---|
| Craft exhibition | A wide range of crafts by local artisans |
| Craft workshops | Hands-on experiences for visitors |
| Wish lantern making | A making activity named separately in the press release |
| Craft sales booths | Booths where you can buy artisans’ work |
Opening hours, workshop types and fees
aren’t in the official information yet.
🖼️ Which exhibitions can you see nearby?
The city’s October festival guide
lists other events at the same place.
| Event | When · Where |
|---|---|
| 2026 Visiting Craft Masterpieces Exhibition ‘Yeongnam Yullyeo’ | Until November 8, Jinju Station locomotive shed in Railway Culture Park |
| Woodcraft Training Center students’ exhibition ‘Gyeol: GRAIN’ | Until October 18, Ilho Gwangjang Jinju Station exhibition room |
| Traveling Culture Jinju Shop (찾아가는 문화진주상점) | 16th–18th, Railway Culture Park |
The craft masterpieces show is a touring exhibition
hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation.
Its theme is “the pulsing sound in nature, people and craft.”
32 artists, including 19 local artists,
show white porcelain, metal, painted, mother-of-pearl, quilted and contemporary installation works.
The docent program (October 24) and artist talk (October 31)
fall after the festival ends.
The student exhibition shows about 70 works from 9 courses
such as modern wood carving, joinery furniture and scroll saw.
The press release introduces it as carrying on the Jinju Somok tradition
of nail-free joinery furniture.
🏮 Are there lanterns in the evening?
The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival website
lists a lantern display at Railway Culture Park.
| Yudeung Festival program | Date · Time · Place |
|---|---|
| ‘From K to W’ lantern display | Until the 18th, from 18:00 to 24:00, Railway Culture Park |
| Drones & fireworks | 17th (Sat) 20:00, Jinju Fortress and Namgang River area |
Themed on Korean (K) daily life and culture going out to the world (W),
it features BTS and BLACKPINK character lanterns,
bungeoppang and Buldak cup noodle lanterns,
and jelly bean character sculptures.
Our Yudeung Festival guide → 2026 Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival
🚗 How do I get there, and where do I park?
Railway Culture Park is in Gangnam-dong, Jinju.
Its Naver Place address is 245-239 Gangnam-dong.
Dedicated festival parking or shuttles
aren’t in the official information.
| Place | Naver Place (checked October 10) |
|---|---|
| Ilho Gwangjang Jinju Station (18 Jinju-daero 879beon-gil) | Paid parking, 500 won for the first 30 minutes |
👨👩👧 If you’re going with kids
The things to try with kids are
craft workshops and wish lantern making.
See the craft masterpieces show in the same park,
then stay for the lanterns that light up from 18:00 —
all in one place.
is also the last day of the Yudeung Festival
and the student exhibition
⏳ Not yet announced
□ Festival opening hours
□ Workshop types and fees (including wish lanterns)
□ Jinju World Folk Arts Biennale program
□ Festival parking and shuttles
□ Operation in case of rain
These aren’t in the official information yet.
If you have questions, call the department listed on the press release,
Jinju City Culture & Arts Division, at 055-749-8706.
👍 Recommended for these families
✔ Families looking for making activities with kids
✔ Families visiting Jinju on the Yudeung Festival’s last weekend
✔ Families who want to see craft exhibitions together
Craft workshops and exhibitions by day,
lanterns in the same park by evening —
a festival for spending a whole day in one park.
This guide was compiled from official information before visiting in person. The character illustrations are GPT-generated.
🔄 Updates
- First write-up
📎 Sources
- ‘공예도시’ 진주시, 10월에 ‘3대 공예행사’ 연다 진주시 · 2026.9.21 · 관공서
- 10월 축제 종합 안내 — 동반행사 진주시 · 관공서
- 10월 축제 종합 안내 — 진주남강유등축제 진주시 · 관공서
- 진주남강유등축제 행사프로그램 — K 에서 W 로 zone(철도문화공원) 진주남강유등축제 누리집(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 2026-10-10. This is not a new verification of the event announcements. Original post (Korean)