Gyeonggi Province Selects 23 Regional Festivals Including Suwon Jazz Festival as '2024 Gyeonggi Tourism Festivals'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Gap-dong] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 4th that it has selected 23 outstanding regional festivals including the Hwaseong Jeongjo Filial Piety Culture Festival, Suwon Jazz Festival, and Osan Yamak Festival as '2024 Gyeonggi Tourism Festivals' based on their superior festival planning and operations as well as strong development capacity.

The selected festivals are △Gapyeong Jarasom Flower Festa △Goyang Haengju Culture Festival △Gwangmyeong Cave Korea Wine Festival △Gwangju Royal Ceramics Festival △Gwangju Namhansanseong Culture Festival △Gunpo Azalea Festival △Namyangju Gwangneung Forest Festival △Namyangju Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival △Dongducheon Rak Festival △Bucheon International Cartoon Festival △Suwon Jazz Festival △Anyang Dance Festival △Yangju Hoamsa Temple Royal Festival △Yangpyeong Yongmun Mountain Edible Greens Festival △Yeoju Ceramics Festival △Yeoju Ogok Naru Festival △Osan Yamak Festival △Icheon Ceramics Festival △Icheon Rice Culture Festival △Paju Heyri Pan Festival △Paju Jangdan Bean Festival △Pocheon Sanjeong Lake Myeongseong Mountain Silver Grass Flower Festival △Hwaseong Jeongjo Filial Piety Culture Festival.

Previously, the province received recommendations for 30 regional festivals from cities and counties and made final selections through presentation evaluations of festival hosting plans and deliberations by the regional festival committee. Starting with the Icheon Ceramics Festival in April through the Paju Jangdan Bean Festival in November, the province plans to support all 23 festivals in various ways to communicate regional culture and regional values.

Among these, the Hwaseong Jeongjo Filial Piety Culture Festival, which received positive response from the judges, is scheduled to be held in October and centers on UNESCO World Heritage Sites Yungneung and Geoneung. The festival will feature programs including the reenactment of Hyungnyungwon, Hyungnyungwon rituals, and demonstrations and hands-on experiences of King Jeongjo's filial piety cuisine, reexamining historical and cultural significance and meaning.

The province plans to rank the 23 selected festivals by evaluation grade and provide provincial subsidies of 100 million won each for the top 6 grades, 70 million won each for 10 middle grades, and 50 million won each for 7 lower grades. Additionally, the province plans to strengthen cooperation with cities and counties to ensure festivals are held safely and to improve customer service to address inconveniences related to inflated prices at festival sites.

Park Yang-deok, head of the Tourism Industry Division, said, "Regional festivals are finding their true form following last year's transition to COVID-19 endemicity," adding, "Since festivals are important tourism resources for regions, we will continue to provide systematic support so that outstanding regional festivals can grow and develop as sustainable festivals that benefit local communities."