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

This guide summarizes official announcements (Mokpo City press release, the festival website and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism festival page) and is not a firsthand visit review. Character illustrations are GPT-generated.

2026 Mokpo Harbor Festival Dates, Pasi Auction Show, Shuttle Buses – What to Know Before Visiting Samhakdo with Kids

Mokpo Harbor Festival 2026 official poster — Oct 16 to 18, Mokpo Port and Samhakdo Island area (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

The autumn sea breeze is turning cool ⚓

The 2026 Mokpo Harbor Festival (목포항구축제)
runs from October 16 (Fri) to 18 (Sun)
around Mokpo Port and Samhakdo Island.

It is a harbor festival that recreates the old Pasi fish market.
Admission is free,
and it runs 12:00~21:00 on all three days.

I’ve summarized Mokpo City’s press release (October 7)
and the official festival website.

🎪 What Kind of Festival Is It?

A past festival — a farmers' music band performing beside a fishing boat at the pier (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

‘Pasi (파시, 波市)’ is the word
for Mokpo Port’s old fish market.

This year’s festival brings back the traditional Pasi,
bustling with boats returning full of fish,
and the old port town, using real fishing boats and seafood.

The website groups 3 things to see, 3 to eat
and 3 to do, calling them
’Mokpo 9 Joys’ (9樂).

On the Retro Wharf Street, which recreates an old music café,
comic-book room, school and bus terminal,
you can also try on old-style clothes.

✨ What Happens on Which Day?

A past festival — a street parade by the harbor with a farmers' music band and a giant puppet (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

Here are the main items from the website’s timetables,
arranged by date.

In ‘Pasi, Full Catch!’, a stow-net fishing boat sails in
to the rhythm of a farmers’ music band,
followed by comic storytelling, a seafood auction performance
and a skate-cutting demonstration by a master.

On opening day there is also a free share of skate samhap skewers
and a street parade that citizens join.

For the Nanyoung Song Festival on the 18th,
10 singers are listed,
including Park Ji-hyun, Song Min-jun and Jung Da-kyung.

🔨 How Do the Auction Show and Activities Work?

A past festival — a performer holding up a box of fish on a floating dock among fishing boats (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

A past festival — a performer with a microphone beside boxes of fish, and visitors raising their hands (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

The Pasi auction show auctions seafood landed that day,
with comic patter and mini games added.
The website says it is a walk-in program
with no advance sign-up.

A Fisher’s Day, a game version of fishing, a full catch and an auction,
has all of its advance sign-up sessions
fully booked as of October 10.

The submarine & patrol boat tour with the Navy’s Third Fleet
runs only as 4 shuttle sessions on the 17th (Sat),
and these were also fully booked as of the 10th.

There is also a stamp tour
where you collect visit stamps around the festival and nearby sights.

🍽️ What Can You Eat?

A past festival — a chef preparing rows of dishes on a long table (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

The Fisherman’s Table is a dining area where chefs and local groups
serve dishes made with Mokpo seafood.
Here are a few picks from the website’s menu.

At the Grill Zone (구이터),
the website says you can grill seafood yourself.

🚌 Getting There & Shuttle Buses

Mokpo Samhakdo — aerial view of Samhakdo Island, the sea and a yacht marina (Nov 2021) (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization Photo Gallery · 디엔에이스튜디오 · KOGL Type 1)

The festival-side bus stop is
next to the Korea Island Development Institute (한국섬진흥원).
The website has a timetable for each route.

Times may change with traffic,
and after 22:00 the buses run
flexibly, the website says.

For parking, the website says information on lots around the venue,
including Namhang Parking Lot, will be announced later,
and the page still reads ‘in preparation’.

👨‍👩‍👧 If You’re Visiting with Kids

A past festival — an evening stage performance and a packed audience (Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 3)

In the daytime there are the auction shows and the retro street,
‘Pasi, Full Catch!’ at 18:00 on Friday and Saturday,
and main-stage shows at 19:00.

The Ministry of Culture festival page says
it is open to all ages
with no age limit.

⏳ Not Yet Announced

□ Parking lot locations, spaces and fees
□ Venue map
□ Shuttle bus fares
□ How and where the stamp tour works
□ Operation in case of rain

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

If you have questions, call the festival team of Mokpo City’s Tourism Division
at 061-270-8441.

👍 Recommended for These Families

✔ Families who want to watch a seafood auction up close with their kids
✔ Families who want to taste Mokpo food like skate and croaker
✔ Families who want to stay for evening concerts by the sea

From the auction show by day to the full-catch show in the evening,
it’s a festival for spending a whole day at the harbor.

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.

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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)