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[WEEKEND GETAWAY] 5 spring flower festivals for a fun, fragrant weekend

Published: 18 Apr. 2025, 17:27

KIM DONG-EUN
[email protected]

Gokseong International Rose Festival in Gokseong County, South Jeolla, attracts around 300,000 visitors every year. [GOKSEONG INTERNATIONAL ROSE FESTIVAL]

Spring is peaking, at last. Every afternoon is another chance to step outside and catch the sun before the summer suddenly kicks in. Flowers are the main signals of spring, which is why the Korea JoongAng Daily has compiled the five flower festivals this spring happening across the country through April and May.

Here are the five spring flower festivals in Korea that might just sweep you off your feet this season.

Seoul Garden Festa
서울가든페스타

The official poster of this year's Seoul Garden Festa, which runs every weekend until May 5 [SEOUL GARDEN FESTA]

Seoul Garden Festa moves its location through some of the city's major parks providing space to hang out, check out or purchase seasonal goods and snacks. Projecting the concept of being a pop-up store in nature, it involves market stalls, an outdoor library zone, busking performances and gardening programs. Kicking off on April 5, the festival operates on weekends only, the two weeks already having taken place at Seoul Forest in eastern Seoul and Namsan Park in central Seoul. Dream Forest in northern Seoul is set to host the festival on April 19 and 20, while the next two weeks will be held at Seonyudo Park and Seoul Botanic Park in western Seoul.

Seoul Garden Festa installments at Seoul Forest in eastern Seoul, which hosted the festival on April 4 and 5 [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

If you need a refreshing outing on the weekends, feel free to pack your picnic kit and head over to Seoul's parks for a relaxing day out in nature.

Festival venues: Seoul Forest, Namsan Park, Dream Forest, Seonyudo Park, Seoul Botanic Park in Seoul
Duration: April 5 — May 5
Phone number: 02-6941-0049
Website: https://parks.seoul.go.kr/story/news/detailView.do?bIdx=3485

Haneulbit Garden Tulip Festival
하늘빛수목정원 튤립축제

Haneulbit Garden Tulip Festival in Jangheung County, South Jeolla houses around 1,000 varieties of tulips during the festival season. [HANEULBIT GARDEN]

Tulips are the next big thing in spring once the cherry blossoms fade out, peaking through mid to late April. Frequently found at amusement parks and gardens, tulips welcome the visitors spread out through the 66,667 square meter (0.5 acre) field at Jangheung County, South Jeolla. Jangheung County's Haneulbit Garden hosts tulip festivals annually on April, this year marking the 12th and set to last until April 30.

Around 1,000 varieties of flowers including tulips and 300 varieties of trees are showcased at the arboretum until the end of the month. During the festival season, busking performances are planned for every weekend afternoon to entertain the visitors of the garden. The garden also runs glamping zones and houses other attractions like the cypress forest and a small zoo with different birds, so get the most of the visit if you head to the garden.

@garden_20190101
2746 Jangheung-daero Yongsan-myeon, Jangheung County, South Jeolla
(전라남도 장흥군 용산면 장흥대로 2746)
Duration: April 7 — April 30
Admission fee: 5,000 won ($3.53)
Phone number: 061-862-2000
Website: https://m.site.naver.com/1GicC

Pinnacle Land Spring Flower Festival
피나클랜드 백만송이 튤립, 수선화 봄꽃대향연

Pinnacle Land in Asan City, South Chungcheong [PINNACLE LAND]

Not a person easily impressed with small flower beds, only moved by huge masses of flowers? Head to Asan City in South Chungcheong, only an hour or two away from the greater Seoul area by bus or train to enjoy the spring festival at Pinnacle Land. Theme park and arboretum Pinnacle Land has more than a million buds of tulips in various colors and other spring flowers like daffodils, set to run through May 25. Jointly running with the spring festival, the 2025 Spring Pinnacle Land Fireworks Festival takes place every Saturday 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. up to May 17. A special fireworks event is also planned for Children's Day on May 5.

If you get hungry during your visit, there are small food stalls with bunsik, Korean street food as well as simple dishes like galbitang (beef soup).

As soon as the tulips and daffodils pass their peak season, a rose festival will continue the festivity from the next day on May 26.

@pinnacle_land
20-42 Wolseon-gil Yeongin-myeon, Asan, South Chungcheong
(충청남도 아산시 영인면 월선길 20-42)
Duration: March 22 — May 25
Admission fee: 15,000 won for adults but varies by the time of the visit by 1,000 won or 2,000 won
Phone number: 041-541-2582
Website: https://www.pinnacleland.co.kr/

International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2025
고양국제꽃박람회

International Horticulture Goyang Korea is set to run from April 25 to May 11 this year. [GOYANG CITY GOVERNMENT]

International Horticulture Goyang Korea, also dubbed Goyang International Flower Festival, is an annual flower event, an iconic exhibition well-known across the country. This year's flower festival is slated to run from April 25 until May 11 at the Ilsan Lake Park in Gyeonggi. Slightly longer than two weeks, each day is filled with different entertainment from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m. every day. You may expect to see endless tulips of various types, roses and hydrangea alongside masses of flowers in creative artworks and forms by international artists.

On April 27, 28 and May 5, there are cultural events planned like the gugak (Korean traditional music) and dance shows as well as classic music shows and a musical performance for children on Children's Day.

You can book early bird tickets now through Naver, Yanolja or KakaoTalk until April 24.

@flowerex
595 Hosu-ro, Ilsandong District, Goyang, Gyeonggi
(경기도 고양시 일산동구 호수로 595)
Duration: April 25 — May 11
Phone number: 031-908-7750
Website: https://giff.flower.or.kr/main/

Gokseong International Rose Festival
곡성세계장미축제

Gokseong International Rose Festival in Gokseong County, South Jeolla, will run from May 16 until May 25 this year. [GOKSEONG INTERNATIONAL ROSE FESTIVAL]

The old Korean expression that translates to “Romance won't pay the bills” doesn't apply here at Gokseong County in South Jeolla in May. Gokseong International Rose Festival is already celebrating its 15th year, attracting around 300,000 visitors every time. Set to run from May 16 to 25 this year, the rose festival will showcase nearly 1,000 rose variations and love-inspired rose installations at Gokseong Seomjin Train Village. This retro-style village used to be an old station that now operates small tour trains and extends its operating time until 10 p.m. during the festival season.

If you want to indulge in the romantic side of the season in a less crowded area of the country, head to this tranquil area before the roses fade away.

232 Gichamaeul-ro Ogok-myeon, Gokseong County, South Jeolla
(전라남도 곡성군 오곡면 기차마을로 232)
Duration: May 16 — May 25
Phone number: 061-363-8379
Website: http://trans.gokseong.go.kr:7000/etgi/

BY KIM DONG-EUN [[email protected]]