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
- Seocheon riverside area, Gwangyang-eup (광양읍 서천변 일원)596 Chilseong-ri, Gwangyang-eup, Gwangyang, Jeonnam (Seocheon riverside inline skating rink) area (전남 광양시 광양읍 칠성리 596)
- Organizer
- Gwangyang City, Gwangyang Traditional Charcoal Grill Festival Promotion 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, 8 AM issued · forecasts can change
📌 What's on each day
- 10/16FriKids' show · Nongak · Tourism Day · Garden partyToday
- 10/17Sat★ Procession · ★ Fireworks · Garden party · Opening · Madang play · SsireumToday
- 10/18SunSsireum · Song contest · Orchestra · ChoirToday
🔁 Daily · Charcoal crafts · Charcoal grill theme hall · Food trucks
2026 Gwangyang Traditional Charcoal Grill Festival Schedule · Fireworks · Magistrate’s Procession · Crafts, Before Visiting Seocheon Riverside with Kids
An autumn festival themed on charcoal grilling,
Gwangyang’s signature food, is coming 🔥
The 22nd Gwangyang Traditional Charcoal Grill Festival
(제22회 광양전통숯불구이축제)
runs from October 16 (Fri) to 18 (Sun),
for three days along the Seocheon riverside in Gwangyang-eup.
The opening ceremony is on the second day, Saturday the 17th at 18:00,
followed by fireworks that same evening.
I’ve summarized Gwangyang City’s notices and press releases
along with the detailed festival plan
attached to the notice.
🎪 About the Festival
This year’s theme is
”The Taste of Gwangyang! Connected by People.”
Gwangyang City introduces it as
Gwangyang’s signature autumn food festival, centered on Gwangyang bulgogi.
New this year are a charcoal grill garden party with music
and themed experiences using charcoal.
The 1st Gwangyang Tourism Day event
and a reenactment of the Gwangyang magistrate’s procession are held alongside it.
✨ What’s On, Day by Day?
From the main stage schedule in the festival plan,
here are the programs worth seeing with kids.
| Date · Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 16th (Fri) 11:00 | Gwangyang children’s joint celebration show |
| 16th (Fri) 13:00 | Gwangyang nongak (farmers’ music) showcase (teams from each town) |
| 16th (Fri) 18:00 | 1st Gwangyang Tourism Day ceremony |
| 16th (Fri) 19:00 | Garden party with music (classical) |
| 17th (Sat) morning | Gwangyang City Gugak Orchestra performance |
| 17th (Sat) 14:00 | Madanggeuk open-air play (troupe Ugeumchi) |
| 17th (Sat) 16:00 | Gwangyang magistrate’s procession reenactment (departs 365 Center, arrives at the festival site) |
| 17th (Sat) 18:00 | Opening ceremony |
| 17th (Sat) 18:30 | Guest singers’ celebration show · EDM garden party |
| 17th (Sat) 19:30 | Fireworks (about 5 minutes) |
| 17th·18th 13:00 | Ssireum wrestling (youth from Yeongnam & Honam) |
| 18th (Sun) 14:00 | 3rd Baegunsan Song Contest |
| 18th (Sun) 16:30 | Forever Wind Orchestra |
| 18th (Sun) 18:00 | Gwangyang City Choir |
| 18th (Sun) evening | Gwangyang local troupes — dance & nanta drumming |
Even within the plan, some performances
have slightly different times in the table and the details,
so for those I only wrote “morning” or “evening.”
In the evenings, youth performances and beanbag film screenings
are also planned at the Seocheon riverside inline skating rink.
🧪 What Can You Make with Charcoal?
For all three days, charcoal-themed
experience booths run inside the festival grounds.
| Experience | Details |
|---|---|
| Charcoal Grill Theme Hall | The history, making and taste of Gwangyang bulgogi |
| Charcoal Soap Making | Making soap with charcoal |
| Charcoal deodorizer & doll making | Crafts using charcoal |
| Gwangyang bulgogi magnet | Making a magnet featuring Gwangyang bulgogi |
| Maedori & train keyrings | Keyrings of Gwangyang’s mascot Maedori and a charcoal-grill train |
| Wildflower pot | Making your own wildflower pot |
There are also free succulent giveaways, traditional bow making
and a Maedori photo zone.
Fees for each experience are not in the plan.
🍢 Food and the Garden Party?
The festival grounds will have 9 food trucks
and 18 local food stalls.
Food trucks sell dakgangjeong (sweet fried chicken), tteokbokki & fish cakes,
hot dogs, twisted doughnuts, churros & gelato,
chicken skewers, corn and more.
The plan says reusable dishes will be used
and overpricing will be checked on site.
| Charcoal Grill Garden Party | Details |
|---|---|
| Date · Time | 16th (Fri) · 17th (Sat) 18:00~21:00 |
| Place | Around the main stage at the Seocheon riverside site |
| Size | 50 tables for 4 per session |
| Sign-up | Naver Form, first come first served, until the 13th (Tue) |
🚌 Getting There & Transport
The venue is the Seocheon riverside area in Gwangyang-eup.
The map shows the Seocheon riverside inline skating rink,
which is named in the plan.
Gwangyang City’s Transportation Division announced
that because of traffic restrictions for the festival, city bus 9 will detour.
| Bus Detour | Details |
|---|---|
| Detour dates | From October 12 (Mon) to 20 (Tue) |
| Restricted section | Seosangyo Intersection ~ Sanga Apartment junction |
| Detoured route | City bus 9 |
As a car-free option,
the Gwangyang Tourism Association runs a “Tourism Day discount tour.”
It combines the festival with sights around Gwangyang.
| Discount Tour | Fee · Group Size |
|---|---|
| Day tour (16th·17th·18th) | 10,000 won, 40 people per session |
| 1-night 2-day (16th–17th, 17th–18th) | 24,000 won, 30 people per session (proof of a Gwangyang stay required) |
Sign-up has been extended until the 11th (Sun).
You board at Gwangyang City Hall’s main gate or the Gwangyang Public Stadium entrance.
Inquiries: Gwangyang Tourism Association, 061-792-5301.
👨👩👧 If You’re Visiting with Kids
Most of the highlights are on Saturday the 17th.
At 16:00 the magistrate’s procession leaves the 365 Center
and heads to the festival site, then the opening ceremony at 18:00
and fireworks at 19:30.
Around the 365 Center, where the procession starts,
the Gwangyang International Media Art Festival
is also held in the same period (10/16~21).
and last only about 5 minutes
Start with the procession (16:00)
and you can see the opening and fireworks in one go
⏳ Not Yet Announced
□ Admission (whether it’s free)
□ Festival opening hours
□ Parking lots & shuttles
□ Experience and garden party fees
□ Operation in case of rain
These aren’t in the official information yet.
I’ll update this post when they come out.
If you have questions, contact Gwangyang-eup, Gwangyang City
at 061-797-4903.
👍 Recommended for These Families
✔ Families who want to see the procession and fireworks on the same day
✔ Kids who love crafts like charcoal soap and keyrings
✔ Families curious about the story of Gwangyang bulgogi at the theme hall
From daytime crafts to evening fireworks,
this festival fits nicely into one Saturday.
This article is based on official information, organized before visiting in person. The character illustrations are GPT-generated.
🔄 Updates
- First write-up
📎 Sources
- 제22회 광양전통숯불구이축제 개최 안내 (붙임 세부추진계획) 광양시 광양읍 · 2026.10.7 · 관공서
- 「광양의 맛! 사람으로 잇다」 제22회 광양전통숯불구이축제 개최 광양시 · 2026.10.7 · 관공서
- 제22회 광양전통숯불구이 축제 가든파티 참가 신청 안내 광양시 광양읍 · 2026.10.7 · 관공서
- 제22회 광양전통숯불구이 축제 관련 버스 노선 우회 알림(9번 노선) 광양시 교통과 · 2026.10.8 · 관공서
- 광양시관광협의회, 제1회 '광양 관광의 날' 운영 광양시 · 2026.9.28 · 관공서
- '광양 관광의 날' 기념 할인투어 조기마감… 모집 연장 광양시 · 2026.10.6 · 관공서
- 광양시, 빛의 도시 광양, 10월이 가장 빛나는 이유 광양시 · 2026.10.1 · 관공서
- 광양시, '2026 광양 국제미디어아트 페스티벌' 개최 광양시 · 2026.10.6 · 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 2026-10-10. This is not a new verification of the event announcements. Original post (Korean)