Autumn Festival Calendar

Fall Festival Calendar — Remaining Nationwide Festivals for November & December and Ended Festivals Recap (As of Nov 2)

Once the second weekend of November passes, the autumn festival season essentially comes to a close. As of November 2, 2026, the major events currently underway or still to come include the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival (through November 8), the Busan Fireworks Festival (November 7), harvest celebrations such as the Cheongsong Apple and Goesan Gimjang festivals, alongside late-season draws like the Goheung Yuja Festival and the Independence Hall Maple Tree Trail in Cheonan, both running through November 15. The lantern, cultural, and silver grass festivals that peaked throughout October have wrapped up and are listed in the archive table below for reference. Starting in December, illumination and light festivals take the spotlight, paving the way for ice and snow festivals in January.

Ongoing Festivals & Remaining November Schedule

This week marks the final peak of the November festival calendar. On Saturday, November 7 alone, the Masan Chrysanthemum Festival, Busan Fireworks Festival, Cheongsong Apple Festival, Goesan Gimjang Festival, and Gimhae Buncheong Ceramics Festival will all be taking place. In Gyeongnam, you could feasibly admire the oceanfront chrysanthemums in Masan by day and head over to Gwangalli Beach for the fireworks by evening. However, downtown Busan experiences heavy gridlock from early afternoon on fireworks day, so taking a train or intercity bus from Masan Station is much wiser than driving. In Masan, an offshore nakhwanori (traditional Korean flame spectacle) will debut at Festival Venue 1 on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 PM (some news reports cite November 7 instead, so double-check Changwon City's official schedule before heading out).

On Sunday, November 8, several festivals conclude simultaneously: the chrysanthemum festivals in Masan and Buyeo, the Mindungsan silver grass, the Bangye-ri ginkgo tree, and the Namdanghang jumbo prawn festival. For the following weekend (November 14–15), the primary remaining options are the Goheung Yuja Festival and Cheonan's Independence Hall Maple Tree Trail. Since harvest festivals have short runs and hands-on activities book up quickly, be sure to check advance registration on local county websites if you plan to join activities like gimjang (kimchi-making) or apple picking.

December — When Illuminations Replace Traditional Festivals

December sees very few regional cultural festivals; instead, downtown lighting displays and illumination events take over. Last season, the Seoul Lantern Festival kicked off on December 12, 2025, and ran through January 18, 2026. For this year, only an expected "December" timeframe has been noted officially. While some blog posts circulate specific dates, they are not official announcements from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, so they have not been included here. This table will be updated as soon as official dates are confirmed.

What's Next — Winter Festivals of Ice, Snow, and Light

Search interest for winter festivals typically begins rising in early December and peaks during the first week of January. However, accommodations and activity bookings start moving much earlier. For the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, ice fishing time slots sell out quickly. Hwacheon County is currently considering raising adult admission from 15,000 KRW to around 25,000 KRW while increasing the local gift certificate refund voucher (reported on October 2), so exact pricing will be finalized once official booking notices are posted. If temperatures remain mild and rivers fail to freeze adequately, opening dates for ice festivals can be postponed—as has happened in past years—so even if you lock in your dates early, be sure to book accommodations with flexible cancellation policies. Browse the full winter lineup in our Winter & Light Festivals guide.

Concluded Festivals — September & October 2026 (Ended)

Most of these wrapped festivals will return around the same time next year. However, specific dates shift slightly each year depending on public holidays. In 2026, Hangeul Day fell on a Friday, causing Jinju, Suwon, Hoengseong, and Sejong to overlap across the three-day holiday weekend (October 9–11). Use this table as a general benchmark for planning in 2027, and confirm exact dates via official announcements one to two months prior to the events.

Fall Foliage Moves Southward Through Mid-November

As festival crowds thin out, nature's scenery takes center stage in November. The Korea Forest Service forecast the 2026 peak foliage dates as October 20 for Seoraksan, October 28 for Songnisan, November 4 for Naejangsan, and November 6 for Hallasan. Foliage maps from the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea National Arboretum estimate the peak in the Yeongnam region to occur in early-to-mid November. This week offers peak autumn colors at Naejangsan and historic temples across the southern provinces, with vibrant hues lingering in Gyeongju and along the southern coastline into the second week of the month. Find detailed guides in our Gyeongju Bulguksa & Seokguram Autumn Guide, nationwide highlights in Autumn Foliage Hotspots, and late-season inspiration in Late Autumn in November.

Tips for Choosing Remaining Festivals

• Chrysanthemums — Masan features three coastal festival venues with evening fireworks and a traditional nakhwanori display. Buyeo offers daytime strolls circling Gungnamji Pond. Both run through November 8.
• Fireworks — The Busan Fireworks Festival is a one-night-only spectacle. Free viewing zones at Gwangalli Beach start packing out early in the afternoon.
• Food & Harvest — Cheongsong apples, Goesan kimchi-making (gimjang), Namdanghang jumbo prawns, and Goheung yuja. Most gimjang and harvesting programs require advance booking.
• Ginkgo Trees & Fall Foliage Trails — Wonju Bangye-ri (through November 8) and the Maple Tree Trail at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan (through November 15).

Nighttime coastal and mountain temperatures in November drop down into single digits Celsius. If you are attending evening festivities, bring a heavy coat and hand warmers, and check whether the last shuttle buses depart before the event ends.

How to Check Dates for Unannounced Festivals

Many regional festivals announce confirmed dates just one or two months in advance. The most reliable sources are local municipal culture and tourism portals and official festival websites, followed by their verified social media accounts. Dates circulating on blogs early on are often copied from the previous year's schedule. If you need to arrange accommodation early—as is common with popular winter festivals—book rooms with flexible cancellation policies until dates are officially locked in. You can browse the complete year-round schedule organized by season in our Events & Festivals Calendar.

Verified Sources

• November Nationwide Festivals in Chronological Order (Bravo My Life, 2026-10-30): https://bravo.etoday.co.kr/view/atc_view/20360
• Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival Schedule & Nakhwanori (Maeil Shinmun, 2026-10-16): https://www.imaeil.com/page/view/2026101607051923639
• Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival Fireworks, Guest Singers, City Tour (Wikitree): https://www.wikitree.co.kr/articles/1169596
• Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival Venue Map (Reportera, 2026-10-22): https://www.reportera.co.kr/travel/masan-gagopa-chrysanthemum/?amp=1
• Busan Fireworks Festival Official Overview: https://busanfireworks.com/bbs/content.php?co_id=overview
• Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival 2027 Schedule (Korea Tourism Organization festival database): https://www.ktriptips.com/kor/festival/507599
• Review of Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival Fee Adjustments (MTN, 2026-10-02): https://news.mtn.co.kr/news-detail/2026100210184026559
• Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival Official Website: https://yudeung.com/
• Andong International Maskdance Festival Opening Coverage: https://www.ajunews.com/view/20260920021400158
• Jinju Representative Festival Dates Confirmed: https://v.daum.net/v/20260730120506711
• Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival Dates Coverage: https://www.youcandonews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=20263
• Hoengseong Hanwoo Festival Dates Coverage: https://www.gukjenews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3707073
• Yangyang Songi & Salmon Festival Advance Reservation Coverage: https://www.gnnnews.kr/201047
• Myeongseongsan Silver Grass Festival Dates Coverage: https://view.asiae.co.kr/article/2026072209583212206
• Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival Opening Coverage (Bridge Economy): https://www.viva100.com/article/20260928500580
• 2026 Hangeul Week (Newspim 2026-10-02): https://www.newspim.com/news/view/20261002000056
• Yeongju Punggi Insam Festival (Hankook Ilbo): https://daily.hankooki.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1411322
• Gimje Horizon Festival Official Website: https://festival.gimje.go.kr/
• Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival (VisitKorea): https://korean.visitkorea.or.kr/kfes/detail/fstvlDetail.do?fstvlCntntsId=ce41cc99-42cf-4556-a3cf-f593b2736ab4
• Sejong Hangeul Festival Timetable & Parking (Ohmynews): https://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0003271844
• Icheon Rice Cultural Festival Official Timetable: https://www.ricefestival.or.kr/program/program.php?sp=schedule
• Gangneung Coffee Festival & Gwangju Chungjang Recalled Memories Festival Dates (Sukbak Magazine): https://www.sukbakmagazine.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=69578
• Seoul International Fireworks Festival Schedule (Hangang Park): https://hangang.seoul.go.kr/www/eventMng/detail.do?evntSn=454&mid=538&srchType=list
• Korea Forest Service 2026 Peak Autumn Foliage Forecast Report: https://www.youngnong.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=70540
• 2026 Foliage Map (Financial News, 2026-10-08): https://www.fnnews.com/news/202610080943468392

Last verified: 2026-11-02