The Guro G Festival 2026 and the Anyangcheon Light Festival have ended. The main festival ran September 19–20, and the light festival ran September 18–30, according to Guro-gu. This page is kept as an archive of the festival program. Last verified: October 1, 2026.

For events that are happening now or coming up, check our current events in Korea hub.

Table of Contents

Guro G Festival 2026 at a glance

The festival is open to everyone, including international visitors. General entry does not require advance registration, and the main concerts and viewing areas are free. Bring a payment card and some Korean won for food, drinks, market purchases, and paid options such as the Ssing Ssing Cart 959 ride. For local transportation costs and card options, see the Korea transit cards guide.

First, choose the right side of the festival

Think of the festival as three connected areas rather than one venue.

The Gocheok Bridge and main-stage area hosts the official opening, headline singers, Sunday’s televised trot concert, fireworks, community performances, and the eco-friendly food market. Use Guil Station Exit 1 if the main concert is your priority. If you are unfamiliar with Seoul’s exits and transfer signs, review the Seoul subway guide before leaving.

The Anyangcheon Water Park area is the daytime activity zone. The published program places AI, robotics, and emerging-technology experiences here, along with a creative competition, flea market, activity booths, and food trucks. This section may suit families and visitors who want to browse during the day.

The Ecological Flower Garden near Ogeum Bridge is the quieter side of the festival: Guro Garden Festa, the Asian Cultural Festival, the French Cultural Festival, and the Anyangcheon Light Festival. Dorimcheon Station Exit 2 is the more practical subway stop for this end; Seoul’s festival listing puts the walk at about 866 meters. If you mainly want garden paths, small performances, food from different cultures, and lights after sunset, start here.

The flower-garden end and the Gocheok Bridge stage are separated by a substantial riverside walk. Choose your must-see program first, use the station closest to it, and allow extra time if you plan to move between zones.

Saturday, September 19: opening ceremony and retro K-pop night

Saturday centers on the opening ceremony and a concert featuring singers associated with Korea’s 1990s pop scene.

From 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, the festival schedule lists AI, robotics, and emerging-technology experiences at the water park area, along with a creative competition. Public-organization booths run during the same 10:00 AM–6:00 PM window near Gocheok Bridge. From noon to 9:00 PM, the water park also has a flea market and food trucks. The eco-friendly food market at the Gocheok Bridge venue runs from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

At the ecological flower garden, Guro Garden Festa runs from noon to 9:00 PM, the Asian Cultural Festival from noon to 8:00 PM, and the French Cultural Festival from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The published program includes garden displays, small performances, busking, cultural booths, and food.

The main evening program begins at 6:30 PM on the Anyangcheon main stage. It includes the official opening ceremony, Guro resident awards, and community presentations. Singers Lee Jae-hoon and Kim Hyun-jung are scheduled for the celebration concert from 9:10 PM to 10:00 PM.

A practical evening plan is to arrive at Guil Station around 4:30 or 5:00 PM, visit the food market, and move toward the stage before the 6:30 PM opening. Arrive early if you want to stand close to the stage. For a quieter evening, start at Dorimcheon Station around 5:30 PM, explore the flower garden and cultural zones, and stay for the lights.

Sunday, September 20: morning walk, local arts, trot stars, and fireworks

The Guro Carbon Zero Walk is scheduled from 7:30 AM to 9:50 AM at the A soccer field below Gocheok Bridge. Check the official notice shortly before the event for any weather-related or operating changes.

The daytime experience zones, food market, flea market, food trucks, and garden programs continue on Sunday at the same published hours. From 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, local groups present instrumental music, dance, and other performances at the Guro Club Arts Festival on the main stage.

At 7:00 PM, the main stage hosts the TOP 10 Gayo Show (JTV) with trot singers Park Seo-jin, Jin Sung, Ahn Seong-hun, and Mai Jin. Fireworks are scheduled after the performance. The organizer has not published a minute-by-minute running order for the singers or a separate fireworks time, so arrive before 7:00 PM if these are your priorities.

If fireworks are your priority, stay on the Gocheok Bridge side. Do not watch the early evening lights at the flower garden and assume you can quickly walk back through the crowd at the last minute. For Sunday, a simple plan is lunch or an early dinner at the festival market, the 2:00 PM community arts show if you are there during the afternoon, a break by the stream, and then the 7:00 PM trot concert through the closing fireworks.

The Anyangcheon Light Festival ran after G Festival

The lights were not limited to the two main festival days. The Anyangcheon Light Festival ran from September 18 through September 30, 6:00 PM–10:00 PM, at the ecological flower garden. On Friday, September 18, the linked opening events began with the Garden Festa opening at 5:00 PM, the French Cultural Festival opening at 7:00 PM, and the light-festival illumination ceremony at 8:30 PM.

Friday evening offered a quieter alternative to the main festival weekend. It did not include Saturday’s headline concert or Sunday’s fireworks, but visitors could see the garden and light installations at a slower pace. Dorimcheon Station Exit 2 was the practical route to the ecological flower garden.

Do you need to reserve anything?

Guro-gu’s official announcement says general festival participation does not require advance registration. The main outdoor performances and ordinary viewing areas are free.

Some hands-on activities may use an on-site queue or numbered ticket, and a few options cost extra. The organizer specifically lists Ssing Ssing Cart 959 and certain experiences as paid exceptions. Confirm the price and participation method at the booth.

If the Carbon Zero Walk is your main reason for visiting, check the official festival site shortly before September 20 or call 02-860-2282 for the latest participation details.

What to Expect at the Asian Cultural Festival

Guro has a large and diverse international community, and the festival grew by combining the district’s former Jump! Guro celebration with its Asian Cultural Festival. The idea is to let local residents and Asian communities meet through food, music, performances, and everyday cultural exchange.

Visitors can browse cultural booths, try food from different Asian cuisines, listen to small performances, and move between the cultural and garden zones at their own pace. Many signs and stage announcements may be in Korean, so keep a translation app ready and save the schedule on your phone before you arrive.

Food, payment, and what to bring

The eco-friendly food market operates from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM at the Gocheok Bridge area, while the water park has food trucks and a flea market from noon to 9:00 PM. Lines may be longer around dinner and before the evening concerts, so allow extra time if you plan to eat at the festival.

Payment methods can vary by booth. Bring a payment card and a small amount of Korean won as a backup; the cash and card guide for Korea explains common payment situations. Also pack a light jacket for the stream after sunset, comfortable shoes, and a charged phone. Because the event is beside a river, rain or strong wind can affect the outdoor stages and lights. Check the official notice on the day if the weather looks uncertain.

The 2026 festival is promoting a “9-NO Guro” eco and safety concept, including reducing plastic, carbon, food waste, and accidents. A reusable bottle or tumbler is a sensible choice, but follow the security staff’s instructions around crowded stage and fireworks areas.

Suggested routes for first-time visitors

Route 1: Saturday concert and food, about five hours

Arrive at Guil Station Exit 1 around 5:00 PM. Visit the food market, then find the main stage by 6:00 PM. Watch the 6:30 PM opening program and stay for Lee Jae-hoon and Kim Hyun-jung, scheduled from 9:10 PM to 10:00 PM. This route keeps the evening focused on one side of the festival.

Route 2: Sunday local culture and fireworks, half day

Arrive at Guil Station around 1:00 PM for lunch, then see the 2:00 PM local club arts show. Browse the technology booths or water-park market during the late afternoon, return to the main-stage area before 7:00 PM, and stay through the concert and fireworks. Allow extra time when leaving after the fireworks.

Route 3: gardens, cultural booths, and lights, about three hours

Visitors could arrive at Dorimcheon Station Exit 2 around 5:30 PM and walk to the ecological flower garden, then explore Garden Festa and the Asian and French cultural zones before seeing the light installations after 6:00 PM. This route also worked on evenings after the main festival because the lights continued through September 30.

Before you go

Outdoor festival schedules can change because of rain, river conditions, crowd control, or broadcast timing. Check the official Guro G Festival website or Guro-gu notice on the morning of your visit, especially if you are coming for one specific singer. Save both subway stations in your map app, and make sure you know which end of the festival you want first.

Official information

• Guro-gu 2026 festival announcement
• Seoul official festival listing and schedule image
• Guro G Festival official website
• Festival inquiry: 02-860-2282