Hello, this is Sokcho Eottae. It is Thursday, October 1, 6 a.m., and Sokcho (속초) is 16°C and clear. The daytime high is 23°C with a 4% chance of rain, which makes it good autumn weather for walking. The sea temperature is 22.4°C and wave height is 1 m, so the sea is fairly calm. All three access roads, Misiryeong-ro, Donghae-daero and Seoraksan-ro, are flowing smoothly right now.
Even at this early hour, though, the Seoraksan (설악산) side, including Sinheungsa Temple (신흥사), Heundeulbawi Rock (흔들바위) and Daecheongbong Peak (대청봉), is already showing as 'very crowded.' That means early-morning hiking for the autumn foliage season has begun. And Sokcho's oldest festival, named after Seoraksan, the 61st Seorak Cultural Festival (설악문화제), opens tomorrow, Friday, October 2, at 7 p.m.
The festival runs for three days, but the program differs quite a bit from day to day. The question we get most often is "If I can go only one day, which day should it be?" The answer depends on what you want to see. Today we lay out what happens on each day and which day suits whom.
The 61st Seorak Cultural Festival at a Glance
- Dates: October 2 (Fri) to 4 (Sun), three days
- Venue: Main stage at Sokcho Expo Lawn Plaza (엑스포 잔디광장) (Joyang-dong, 72 Expo-ro) + the Seorak Rodeo Street (설악로데오거리) area (Jungang-dong)
- Theme: 'Seorak, Colored Together'
- Admission: Free
- Hosted by: Sokcho City and Sokcho Culture & Tourism Foundation
First, keep in mind that there are two venues. The opening and closing ceremonies and the evening performances take place at Expo Lawn Plaza next to Cheongchoho Lake (청초호), while the street parade, the symbol of the Seorak Cultural Festival, takes place on Seorak Rodeo Street in Jungang-dong downtown. The two are not a quick walk apart, so if you plan to see both on the same day, allow plenty of travel time.
Friday, October 2: Opening Ceremony at 7 p.m., Yoon Su-il and Yeom Yu-ri
The first day's stage is the opening ceremony at 7 p.m. at Expo Lawn Plaza. Singers Yoon Su-il and Yeom Yu-ri will perform at the celebration. The lineup puts the singer of 'Apartment' and 'Ecstatic Confession,' songs a whole generation sang along to, on the same stage as a young singer who made her name on a trot competition show, so it is a good day for families bringing their parents.
Because it is a Friday, visitors from outside the area will find it hard to make the opening ceremony if they leave after work. To catch the 7 p.m. opening from Seoul, it is safest to leave around 3 p.m. at the latest. On the other hand, if you live in Sokcho, the first day is the easiest of the three to get a good spot. The award ceremony for this year's Sokcho Citizens' Grand Award, announced in September, is also scheduled to take place at the opening ceremony, so many people are expected to come to congratulate their neighbors.
Saturday, October 3 (National Foundation Day): Two Street Parades, Youth Stage in the Evening
What makes the Seorak Cultural Festival truly the Seorak Cultural Festival is the street parade. This year it runs twice, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., on Saturday the 3rd, National Foundation Day, on Seorak Rodeo Street.
Here are some tips for choosing between the two.
- 2 p.m.: The sun is at its strongest, but photos come out sharp. If you are with young children, watching the daytime parade and heading back to your lodging or home early is better for managing their energy.
- 5 p.m.: The sun is going down and it gets cooler. After the parade, you can move straight to Expo Lawn Plaza and continue with the 6:30 p.m. youth performances. However, given the travel time from Rodeo Street to the Expo, it may be tight to arrive right when the performance starts.
From 6:30 p.m., Expo Lawn Plaza hosts programs with direct participation by young people, along with performances by YOUNITE and Dotree. If you have teenage children, this will likely be the day they enjoy most.
National Foundation Day is a public holiday, and because the 3rd falls on a Saturday, Monday, October 5, is a substitute holiday. That makes the 3rd through the 5th a three-day weekend, so it is natural to expect the largest crowds of out-of-town visitors on Saturday the 3rd. Roads and parking lots around Rodeo Street are bound to be busy before and after the parade, so if you are staying downtown, we recommend leaving your car and walking.
Sunday, October 4: Closing Ceremony, Solji, Shin Seung-tae, Gummy and the Fireworks
The most spectacular stage of the three days is on the last day. The closing ceremony at 7 p.m. is followed by celebration performances by Solji, Shin Seung-tae and Gummy, and the night ends with fireworks. According to the announced schedule, this is the only fireworks show.
If you are going for the fireworks, here are a few things to prepare.
- Getting a spot: Crowds come to see both the performances and the fireworks on this day, so the front of the lawn plaza fills up from early evening. Bring a picnic mat and try to arrive before sunset.
- What to wear: Today's low is 15°C. In early October, once the sun goes down on the Sokcho coast, wind blows in from the lake and the sea and it feels colder, so be sure to bring a light jacket.
- Getting home: The moment the fireworks end, everyone leaves at once. Since the 5th is a substitute holiday, if you do not need to rush back, staying nearby for 10 to 20 minutes before leaving can actually be faster.
If you need to return to Seoul on Sunday night, staying through the fireworks means arriving quite late. The holiday continues through Monday, so staying one more night and heading back on the 5th is another option.
So, When Should You Go?
Here are Sokcho Eottae's recommendations by date.
- With your parents, if you want to avoid crowds: Friday the 2nd, opening ceremony
- To experience the festival's unique atmosphere: Saturday the 3rd, street parade (2 p.m. or 5 p.m.)
- With teenage children: Saturday the 3rd, youth performances at 6:30 p.m.
- For performances and fireworks: Sunday the 4th, closing ceremony at 7 p.m.
During the day, the venue runs hands-on booths and a food market, and performances continue in the evening. Detailed timetables and any changes due to on-site conditions are posted on the Seorak Cultural Festival website and the official Instagram and Facebook accounts of the Sokcho Culture & Tourism Foundation, so we recommend checking once before you set out.
A Good Place to Stop By: Cheongchoho Lake Chrysanthemum Exhibition
The 2026 Sokcho Chrysanthemum Exhibition, which opened yesterday, September 30, is running at Cheongchoho Lake Park Fountain Plaza (청초호유원지 분수광장) until November 8. It is on the same shore of Cheongchoho Lake as Expo Lawn Plaza, so it is nice for a stroll among the chrysanthemums before or after the festival performances. Especially on a day you are going to an evening performance, we recommend seeing the chrysanthemum exhibition first before sunset and then heading over to the festival venue.
Good to Know Before the Holiday: Seoraksan Is Already Busy
As of 6 a.m. today, the Seorak-dong area, including Sinheungsa Temple, Heundeulbawi Rock, Daecheongbong Peak, 켄싱턴호텔 설악 (Kensington Hotel Seorak) and 더케이설악산 가족호텔 (The-K Seoraksan Family Hotel), as well as Cheoksan Foot Bath Park (척산족욕공원), are all 'very crowded.' The Korea Forest Service forecasts peak foliage on Seoraksan around October 20, so right now the colors are just starting to turn from the summit down.
With the festival and the holiday overlapping, many people will plan Seoraksan by day and the Seorak Cultural Festival in the evening. In that case, on Seoraksan-ro, cars coming down from the mountain in the afternoon will overlap with cars heading into town. The least tiring plan is to start hiking early in the morning, finish in the early afternoon, rest briefly at your lodging and then head to the evening event. All three access roads are flowing smoothly now, but roads coming in from the Seoul direction on the morning of the 3rd, when the holiday begins, are likely to be busier than usual.
Preparing for the Festival with Today's Sokcho Weather
Today is clear with a high of 23°C, a low of 15°C and a 4% chance of rain. Short sleeves are fine at midday, but the temperature difference between morning/evening and daytime is as much as 8 degrees. The festival centers on evening performances every day, so if you go out dressed for the daytime, you can easily feel cold at night. We recommend checking the Korea Meteorological Administration's short-term forecast once more before you set out for the weather during the holiday.
Today we looked at the day-by-day schedule of the 61st Seorak Cultural Festival, opening tomorrow, and how to choose your day. Did you find it helpful? Pick the day that appeals to you most, whether it is Friday's opening ceremony, Saturday's street parade or Sunday's fireworks, and enjoy Sokcho's autumn festival. We will be back next time with even more useful information.
