Tourism Local festivals
Gorosoe Mineral Water Festival
Known as the 'miracle elixir,' Gorosoe mineral water is collected from the Gorosoe trees in Jirisan’s Baemsagol, Dalgung, and Banyabong areas. This water is gathered from around the day of Usu to just after Gyeongchip, approximately from February 20 to March 20 each year. As its popularity grows nationwide, the Jirisan Baemsagol Gorosoe Mineral Water Festival is held annually in early March to promote it widely.
The festival includes a mountain god ritual, hiking competitions, Gorosoe water drinking events, and various races, celebrating the health benefits of this water, which include relieving neuralgia, stomach ailments, arthritis, eczema, and constipation, and is particularly noted for its postnatal and adult disease preventive effects.
Baraebong Azalea Festival
In the area behind the livestock genetics testing station (former Livestock Technology Research Institute) in Unbong-eup, Namwon, azaleas create a spectacular view from late April to mid-May, appearing as though magenta paint has been spilled across the landscape.
This phenomenon starts at 500 meters above sea level and continues to the summit throughout May. The Jirisan Baraebong Azalea Festival is held based on when the azaleas are in full bloom. The trail from the testing station through the mid-slope to the ridgeline blossoms into a 3-4 km stretch of vibrant and picturesque azaleas, captivating many hikers each year. The festival includes azalea rituals, commemorative ceremonies, hiking competitions, painting, and singing contests among other diverse events.
Chunhyang Festival
Namwon, often referred to as Chunhyanggol due to its many ties to the legend of Chunhyang, celebrates the poignant and pure love story of Chunhyang and Lee Mongryong, which has resonated globally. The festival venerating Chunhyang’s fidelity and virtue is held annually around Buddha’s Birthday, celebrating her story with various cultural performances and events.
Baemsagol Maple Festival
Held annually around late October at the Baemsagol Campsite entrance, the Maple Festival includes a mountain god ritual, hiking competitions, wish writing to the mountain spirits, pansori experiences, and more.
The festival attracts tourists from all over the country to experience the breathtaking scenery combined with the vibrant autumn colors in the valleys and rocky cliffs, immersing everyone in a stunning atmosphere.
Heungbu Festival
Identified as the birthplace of the folk tale 'Heungbu and Nolbu,' the areas of Seongsan-ri in Inwol-myeon and Seong-ri in Ayang-myeon host the Heungbu Festival as a way to promote local culture. Initiated in 1993, this cultural festival is held annually on Citizen’s Day in September for two days, starting with a night festival and featuring a new opera based on Heungbu, street performances, a Heungbu family race, and a Namwon folk music competition among other events.
This festival not only celebrates Heungbu’s kind-heartedness and good deeds but also serves as a platform for community bonding and cultural promotion alongside the Chunhyang Festival.
Baraebong Snow Flower Festival
During the cold winter days, the Baraebong peak in Jirisan shows off its pristine white beauty, contrasting with the vibrant pink azaleas of spring. The Jirisan Namwon Baraebong Snow Flower Festival held in Herb Valley below Baraebong attracts visitors with its scenic snow-clad landscapes, making it the "Alps of Asia" due to its heavy snowfall. This highland area is celebrated for its natural silver snowscapes, offering a picturesque winter festival experience.
Samdong Gut Play
Located in Goe-ri, Boseong-myeon, about 12 km northeast of Namwon, this village lies between Yaksan (the centipede) to the east and Gyeryongsan (the chicken) to the west. According to geomantic interpretations, this folk play originated from a legend where the centipede harms the chicken, and it involves characters from the Three Kingdoms stomping on the centipede. This folklore event is performed annually on July 15th by the lunar calendar. It's a traditional play preserved only in this region, where villagers pray for a bountiful harvest, children's health, and success, and communal harmony.
The residents gather at the village shrine to celebrate the harvest festival, then proceed to the communal well for a lively ceremony and perform the 'Three Boys Ritual' and 'Centipede Stomping' to boost the village's spirit and prosperity. This festival won the prestigious Presidential Award at the National Folk Play Competition in 1982.
Namwon International Drone Festival
Namwon, a city where traditional Korean culture and natural beauty harmoniously blend, is emerging as a hub for the drone and UAM (Urban Air Mobility) industry. This festival showcases the city's unique infrastructure, including Korea’s only LX Drone Utilization Center, a dedicated drone leisure sports stadium, a drone and UAM cultural experience hall, and a drone control center. Utilizing these facilities, the festival focuses on the research of future aerial mobility and leads in new sectors of aerial leisure, drone sports, gaming, and tourism.
Families can enjoy and participate in the world's most prestigious drone racing competitions and other drone leisure sports, along with conferences and expos on drone and UAM industries, offering a chance to explore advancements in future mobility.