This event has ended. Seoul Street Arts Festival 2026 ran September 19–20, 2026 at Ttukseom Hangang Park and Seoul Forest, according to the Seoul Culture Portal. This page is kept as an archive of the 2026 program and should not be used for current visit planning. Last verified: September 23, 2026.

For performances and festivals that are currently open, start with our current events in Korea hub.

Is the festival worth adding to your Seoul plans?

The festival is a good option for travelers who want an outdoor cultural event rather than another indoor attraction. The river, bridges, trees, walking paths, and passing crowds become part of the performances. You can visit for a few hours instead of staying all day.

For an afternoon-to-evening visit, choose one venue as your base. Ttukseom Hangang Park works well for Voyage, Je m’évanouis, the large evening parade, and sunset by the river. Pocket Juggling and Musical Picnic are at Seoul Forest, as is PLANTAR. The two venues are about 4 km apart, so moving between tightly timed performances can make the day more tiring than expected.

What kind of festival is this?

Do not picture one stage with a row of chairs. Performances are spread through the parks, and many of them are designed for people who happen to be walking nearby. A dancer may begin on a path, a circus performer may gather a circle of spectators, or a large parade may move through the crowd. Some works last only 10 minutes, while the main evening production runs for 80 minutes.

The official 2026 program brings together 20 street-art performances, including artists from Korea, France, Lithuania, Chile, Slovenia, and Brazil. There are also all-day play areas, a market, an exhibition below Jayang Station, and short activity sessions. Several events overlap, so missing one performance may still leave another option nearby.

Festival highlights to consider

One of the largest-scale events is Les Girafes, Opérette animalière by France's Compagnie OFF. Seven red giraffe puppets, each about seven meters tall, move through the festival with performers, music, circus, and an opera singer. Because the performance is non-verbal, it is easier to follow without Korean, although it includes loud sounds, surprises, and audience movement. The show starts at 7:40 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday and runs for about 80 minutes.

If you prefer shorter performances, Pocket Juggling runs at Seoul Forest at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.; Voyage runs at Ttukseom Hangang Park at 4:00 and 6:30 p.m.; and Je m'évanouis runs at Ttukseom at 12:30, 3:30, and 5:30 p.m. on both days. The official timetable also lists Tancarville at 4:30 p.m. and On Veut at 5:30 p.m. The exact stage locations matter, so open the official English timetable on the day and tap the work you want to see instead of relying only on a saved screenshot.

At Seoul Forest, Musical Picnic is listed at 3:00 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. The festival's participatory areas also include a wooden play zone, a color-step play zone, a Chuseok play zone, and Kite Make-a-Wish Station. Kite sessions begin at 11:30 a.m., noon, 1:30, 2:00, 3:30, and 4:00 p.m., with 40 participants per session. The English program page does not show a separate online reservation button for the kite activity, so ask at the activity area when you arrive; availability is not guaranteed.

Sunday's schedule adds a Kids EDM Party from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and two performances of 52Hz by The Gwangdae, a Korean traditional performing-arts troupe. Families may prefer the additional Sunday morning program. The main evening schedule is similar on both days.

Getting to Ttukseom Hangang Park

Ttukseom hosts many of the afternoon and evening performances. Take Seoul Subway Line 7 to Jayang Station, Exit 2. The official visitor information places the park entrance roughly 440–450 meters away. Do not search for “Ttukseom Station” on Line 2 by mistake; the station beside this Hangang park was renamed Jayang Station, and its Korean name is 자양역.

The park sits directly under and around the elevated Line 7 tracks and Cheongdam Bridge. That structure may look unusual in a travel photo, but it is useful during a long outdoor event because there are shaded areas below it. The Hangang paths remain busy with cyclists and runners, so look before crossing a bike lane, especially when a crowd gathers around a performance.

The official timetable lists the Seoul Nuri Market, play zones, and several festival events from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. There is also a traveling K-AI Content Award exhibition in the lower level of Jayang Station. If you are meeting friends, save the current festival map before arriving and choose a specific landmark rather than a general riverside location.

Getting to Seoul Forest

Seoul Forest has tree-lined paths and landscaped gardens, with the cafés of Seongsu nearby. Take the Suin–Bundang Line to Seoul Forest Station, Exit 4. The reserved performance PLANTAR begins behind Seoul Forest Community Center; its official booking page gives the meeting point as about 625 meters from Exit 4 and says a separate message will be sent one day before the event.

You can visit both festival areas in one day, but avoid walking from one to the other between tightly timed shows. The distance is about 4 km, and public transportation between the areas usually involves a transfer. Leave a generous gap, or choose one venue as your base and visit the other only for a specific program.

Do you need a reservation?

You do not need a reservation to enter the festival or watch most of the outdoor performances. The event is free, and the official Naver Booking page currently shows three reservation options: a citizen judging-panel recruitment and two reservable performances. Most visitors can go directly to either venue, check the map and timetable, and join the audience.

Advance booking is required for these two small-group walking performances:

PLANTAR by Colectivo Refugio

• When: September 19 or 20 at 5:30 p.m.
• Duration: 55 minutes
• Capacity: 50 people per performance
• Age: 15 and older, according to the booking page
• Meeting point: the forest path behind Seoul Forest Community Center
• What happens: the group walks through Seoul Forest and nearby streets while listening to a guide and sounds on a small analog radio
• Language: the transmitted guide's voice is in Korean
• Bring: a small potted plant that you can comfortably carry for about one hour; herbs such as rosemary, mint, or lavender are suggested
• Check-in: arrive at least 10 minutes early to receive the radio; late joining is difficult

PLANTAR may be difficult for visitors who do not understand Korean because the guide's voice is part of the experience. Consider booking only if you are comfortable following the group with limited language support.

Getting Slapped Nowhere, Spilling Bats at the Han River by Gamjapia

• When: September 19 or 20 at 6:00 or 8:00 p.m.
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Capacity: 80 people per performance
• Age: 12 and older, according to the booking page
• Meeting point: below Jayang Station. The written directions refer to the Exit 2 and Bangsaeng Beopdang area, while the map pin is closest to Exit 3. Follow the day-before message and on-site signs.
• What happens: you walk independently through Ttukseom Hangang Park while listening to a podcast about bats, misunderstanding, and prejudice
• Language: the audio is in Korean; a written transcript can be requested from the organizer
• Bring: your own smartphone and earphones; no audio device is provided

The Korean podcast is central to this program. If you do not understand Korean, contact the organizer before booking and ask whether an English text is available. The transcript mentioned on the booking page should not be assumed to be an English translation.

How to book the reserved performances

1. Open the official Seoul Street Arts Festival Naver Booking page.
2. Choose either 콜렉티보 레푸히오 ‘뿌리내리기’ for PLANTAR or ‘~에서 뺨 맞고, 한강에서 박쥐 흘기기’ for the bat-themed walk.
3. Select the date and, for the bat walk, the 6:00 or 8:00 p.m. session.
4. Choose the number of tickets. Each Naver ID can reserve up to two.
5. Log in to Naver if prompted, complete the free booking, and save the mobile ticket.
6. Check the meeting-point message sent before the event, then arrive early with the required item: a small plant for PLANTAR, or a charged phone and earphones for the bat walk.

Both reservation pages say booking closes at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18. A reservation is confirmed immediately, and the mobile ticket is used for entry. If your plans change, cancel before the event so one of the limited places can return to the booking pool.

If the Naver Booking interface is difficult to use, you can still enjoy the main festival without a reservation. The large evening parade, most street performances, markets, exhibitions, and open play areas are not listed as advance-booking options.

Sample afternoon-to-evening routes

For a Ttukseom-based afternoon, arrive at Jayang Station around 3:30 p.m. and begin with Voyage at 4:00 p.m. Walk through the activity areas, stop at the market if it is operating, and return for Tancarville at 4:30 p.m. or On Veut at 5:30 p.m. Voyage is another option at 6:30 p.m. Musical Picnic is at Seoul Forest and should not be added to this Ttukseom route.

Use the break before 7:40 p.m. to find a viewing spot for Les Girafes. Because it is a moving parade with seven giant puppets, standing a little farther back may provide a wider view than the front row. After the show ends around 9:00 p.m., waiting briefly by the river may help you avoid the largest crowd heading to the station.

For a Seoul Forest afternoon, consider the 3:00 p.m. Musical Picnic before a 5:30 p.m. PLANTAR reservation. Enter the park with enough time to find the community center and check in before 5:20 p.m. The second Musical Picnic begins at 6:30 p.m., shortly after the 55-minute PLANTAR walk is scheduled to end, so confirm the exact locations before trying to attend both.

Language, accessibility, and practical tips

The festival's English website lists program titles, times, descriptions, and accessibility notes. Several visual and non-verbal works may be easier to follow without Korean. Individual announcements and participatory instructions may still be in Korean, so keep the event name 서울거리예술축제 and the Korean venue names 뚝섬한강공원 and 서울숲 saved on your phone. The Naver Map English guide can help you prepare searches and saved places before the festival.

Accessibility varies by work. The official program page uses notes such as non-verbal performance, important music or sound, loud noises, audience movement, and audience participation. Open the page for the specific performance you want to see rather than assuming every work has the same conditions. Ttukseom Hangang Park itself has accessible paths, restrooms, elevators, and wheelchair-rental services according to the official Seoul travel guide, but a moving performance on grass or forest paths can be a different experience.

Wear shoes you can walk and stand in for several hours. Bring water, a charged phone, a small power bank, and a light layer for the river after sunset. Do not spread a picnic mat where it blocks a performance route or bicycle path. If rain is expected, check the festival's official Instagram or website on the morning of your visit because outdoor schedules and locations can change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Seoul Street Arts Festival 2026 free?

Yes. The official listings state that the festival is free. The two advance-booking performances are also listed as free, but places are limited.

Can I go without making a Naver reservation?

Yes. You can enter the festival grounds and watch most performances without a reservation. Naver Booking is only needed for the two limited moving performances described above and the separate citizen judging-panel recruitment.

Which venue is better for a first-time visitor?

Ttukseom Hangang Park generally suits visitors who want the larger afternoon and evening program, the parade, activity zones, and direct access from Jayang Station. Seoul Forest may suit visitors with a PLANTAR reservation or plans in nearby Seongsu.

Is the festival held at Ttukseom Station?

No. For Ttukseom Hangang Park, use Jayang Station on Line 7, formerly called Ttukseom Resort Station. Ttukseom Station on Line 2 is closer to Seoul Forest and Seongsu, not the main riverside festival entrance.

Is there an English schedule?

Yes. The official festival website has an English timetable and English program pages. Open the live version shortly before you go because outdoor schedules can change.

Are the reserved performances easy for non-Korean speakers?

Both rely on Korean audio. PLANTAR uses a Korean guide voice through a radio, and the bat-themed walk uses a Korean podcast. The visual and non-verbal open performances are a simpler choice if you want an experience with little language pressure.

Can I see both Seoul Forest and Ttukseom Hangang Park in one day?

Yes, but leave a generous travel gap. They are about 4 km apart and use different subway lines. A practical plan is to use one venue as your base and visit the other for one specific program.

What happens if a reservable performance is sold out?

Keep the main festival in your plan. The large parade, short street performances, exhibitions, market, and play zones give you plenty to do without a reservation. You can also check Naver Booking again in case someone cancels.

Official links

• Seoul Street Arts Festival 2026 — official English timetable
• Official Naver Booking page
• Korea Tourism Organization event listing
• Ttukseom Hangang Park — official Seoul travel guide
• Seoul Forest — official Seoul travel guide
• Seoul Street Arts Festival official Instagram

Image credits

• Hi! Seoul Festival concert (2006) — Steve46814, CC BY-SA 3.0; resized for web.
• Les Girafes performance (2018) — Ville de Bar-le-Duc / Laurent Nembrini, CC BY-SA 4.0; cropped by Wikimedia Commons and resized for web.
• Ttukseom Hangang Park (2026) — Motoko C. K., CC BY 4.0; resized for web.
• Seoul Forest walking path (2026) — Qhairy, CC BY 4.0; resized for web.