Andong's four World Heritage sites host 17-day heritage festival from Oct 9
In short
Gyeongbuk Province said the 2026 World Heritage Festival Andong will run from Oct 9 to 25 at four World Heritage sites in Andong: Hahoe Village, Bongjeongsa Temple, Dosan Seowon and Byeongsan Seowon. The 17-day programme includes an opening ceremony at Hahoe Village on Oct 10 at 18:00, traditional performances, exhibitions, talks and music events. The province has held the festival annually since 2020 after being selected in a national competition.
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Gyeongbuk Province said on Oct 6 that the 2026 World Heritage Festival Andong will be held from Oct 9 to 25 at four World Heritage sites in Andong: Hahoe Village, Bongjeongsa Temple, Dosan Seowon and Byeongsan Seowon. The provincial announcement put the programme at 17 days. Seoul Shinmun and Newsis reported the same dates and the four Andong locations in their headlines. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The festival is hosted by the National Heritage Administration, Gyeongbuk Province and Andong City, and organised by the National Heritage Promotion Agency and the Andong Hahoe Village Preservation Society, according to the province. It is held under the theme “사유의 세계유산, 통섭의 미래가치”. Gyeongbuk Province said it has staged the festival every year since 2020 after being selected in a National Heritage Administration competition. [ 1 ]
The programme opens on Oct 9 at Hahoe Village with a permanent exhibition titled “우리가 가꾸는 세계유산,” with the opening ceremony the following day at 18:00 on the white sand beach of the Mansongjeong forest. At Hahoe Village the organisers plan the traditional “선유줄불놀이” performance and a children's heritage docent programme with 16 elementary school students, plus activities and small concerts at eight old houses including Hwakyungdang, an exhibition and busking at Hwasudang, and a discussion with experts from Korea, China and Uzbekistan on securing the future value of World Heritage. A tourist information office and souvenir booths will operate near the Hahoe Village bus stop. [ 1 ]
At Bongjeongsa Temple, a peace concert on Oct 9 at 17:30 begins a series that includes a talk concert, temple stay and meditation, a meditation walk, peace busking, a peace paper crane event and a photo exhibition. Dosan Seowon will host the concerts “다시 부르는 도산십이곡” and “도산 명월,” the media play “도산도,” and a “글로벌 도산별시” with 40 foreign exchange students. Byeongsan Seowon will offer a seowon rite experience, the music concert “풍류 병산,” a forum on revitalising seowon, a night opening titled “병산의 빛” and a photo exhibition. [ 1 ]
Governor Lee Cheol-woo said the province will work to spread Gyeongbuk's cultural content worldwide in line with the K-content trend. The province said the detailed schedule can be found on the “2026 세계유산축전 안동” website at koreawhc.com. No document gave expected visitor numbers or a budget for the festival. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The festival is a state- and province-backed effort to promote the value of Andong's World Heritage listings and is presented as part of a wider push to spread regional cultural content abroad. It brings foreign experts and events to four sites across the city, with organisers pointing visitors to a dedicated schedule website. The documents give no attendance or economic figures, so the scale of the impact is not stated.
Key facts
- Gyeongbuk Province said the 2026 World Heritage Festival Andong will be held from Oct 9 to 25. [ 1 , 3 ]
- It takes place at four World Heritage sites in Andong: Hahoe Village, Bongjeongsa Temple, Dosan Seowon and Byeongsan Seowon. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The festival runs for 17 days under the theme of “사유의 세계유산, 통섭의 미래가치”. [ 1 ]
- It is hosted by the National Heritage Administration, Gyeongbuk Province and Andong City, and organised by the National Heritage Promotion Agency and the Andong Hahoe Village Preservation Society. [ 1 ]
- The opening ceremony is scheduled for Oct 10 at 18:00 at the Mansongjeong forest white sand beach in Hahoe Village. [ 1 ]
- Gyeongbuk Province has held the festival every year since 2020 after being selected in a National Heritage Administration competition. [ 1 ]
- Governor Lee Cheol-woo said the province will work to spread Gyeongbuk's cultural content worldwide in line with the K-content trend. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- How many visitors the festival is expected to draw and what budget it has. No document gives attendance targets, visitor figures or budget numbers.
- The full programme for each day of the festival. Only Yonhap lists event details, and it refers readers to the festival website for the detailed schedule rather than publishing it.
- Coverage by Newsis and Seoul Shinmun beyond their headlines. Both outlets are represented only by their article titles here, and the body text carried by Newsis is about an unrelated National Assembly hearing, so no further detail from them can be used.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Gyeongbuk Province announces the 2026 World Heritage Festival Andong, to run Oct 9-25 at four sites in Andong. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reports the 17-day festival at four Andong locations. [ 2 ]
- Newsis reports the province will hold the festival from Oct 9 to 25 at four sites in Andong. [ 3 ]
- Peace concert at Bongjeongsa Temple opens that site's programme on Oct 9. [ 1 ]
- Opening ceremony on Oct 10 at the Mansongjeong forest white sand beach in Hahoe Village. [ 1 ]