Cheorwon Hantangang River Ice Trekking Festival
Jan 16 – Feb 14, 2027 · Gangwon
Overview
*The information below is based on the 2026 festivals. Details for the 2027 festivals will be updated as they become available.*Set amid the spectacular winter landscape of the Hantangang River, the Cheorwon Hantangang River Ice Trekking Festival is one of Cheorwon’s premier winter celebrations. The festival has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Korea Festival Contents Awards and was selected as an Outstanding Festival by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for 2026–2027. Connected to the Hantangang River Mulwit-gil trekking course, the festival allows visitors to enjoy the river’s breathtaking snowy scenery while taking part in a variety of performances and winter-themed activities held throughout the festival period at the main venue beneath Seungilgyo Bridge. Special events, including the popular “Ttongbaram Altong Road Run," add to the festive atmosphere and excitement.
Why go
Set along the frozen Hantangang River near Seungilgyo Bridge, this festival pairs a scenic ice trekking course with winter performances and activities, and it has been inducted into the Korea Festival Contents Awards Hall of Fame and named an Outstanding Festival by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for 2026–2027. It is a good pick for a one-day winter outing combining a riverside walk on the ice with local festival atmosphere, including the signature "Ttongbaram Altong Road Run" event.
Getting there from Seoul
Cheorwon-gun sits in Gangwon-do, so the simplest option from Seoul is an intercity bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to the Cheorwon (Dongsong) bus terminal, roughly a 2 to 2.5 hour ride. From the Dongsong terminal, take a local taxi to the festival venue at 208 Hantangang-gil, Dongsong-eup, as the site beneath Seungilgyo Bridge is a short drive outside the town center. Driving is also common for this trip, since the venue and surrounding trekking course are spread along the riverbank.
Tips
- Dress in warm layers and wear footwear with good grip, since the main activity is walking on river ice in winter conditions.
- The festival runs 10:00–17:00, so plan to arrive with enough daylight left for the trekking course and other activities.
- Admission is paid, so bring cash or a card for tickets and check on-site signage for specific entry points along the Mulwit-gil course.
Best for: families, photographers, nature lovers, winter activities.
Program
Hantangang River Ice Trekking Course, Main Festival Venue beneath Seungilgyo Bridge, Ttongbaram Altong Road Run
Photos
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
Other festivals in Gangwon
Gangwon
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
Jan 9 – Jan 31, 2027
*The information below is based on the 2026 festivals. Details for the 2027 festivals will be updated as they become available.*Held in Hwacheon, Gangwon-do, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is a one-of-a-kind winter event that was named one of CNN's “Seven Wonders of Winter” in 2011. The festival takes place every January, when the famously pristine waters of Hwacheoncheon Stream freeze solid. Visitors can catch sancheoneo, mountain trout often called the "Queen of the Valley", through ice fishing or even with their bare hands. The freshly caught fish can be enjoyed immediately as raw slices or grilled on the spot. Beyond fishing, the festival features a wide range of winter attractions, including ice sledding, snow sledding, and bobsledding, drawing more than one million visitors each year.
Gyeonggi
Lighting Festival at The Garden of Morning Calm
Dec 4, 2026 – Mar 14, 2027
Held at the Garden of Morning Calm, the Lighting Festival was the first light festival in Korea to combine the natural surroundings with lights, covering 330 thousand square meters. Held from December to March, the environmental-friendly LED lights shine throughout the garden.
Gyeonggi
2026 DMZ OPEN Festival
Oct 12 – Nov 29, 2026
The DMZ OPEN Festival is Gyeonggi-do's flagship multi-genre cultural event, designed to let visitors directly experience the peace, ecological, and historical value of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) through art, academic programs, sports, and more. Rather than viewing the DMZ simply as a space of division and military tension, the festival reinterprets its long-preserved ecological environment and historical significance, along with the possibility of peace and coexistence, through today's cultural language. Gyeonggi-do is expanding this idea under the concept of 'OPEN'—transforming the 'closed' DMZ into a space open to everyone—and the event is run not as a single occasion but as a long-running program spanning multiple genres.
Reach travelers heading to Gangwon: sponsor this page.
Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go. Official site