Ground Forces Festival
Oct 1 – Oct 5, 2026 · Happening now · Chungcheongnam-do
Overview
The 2026 Ground Forces Festival is Korea's largest military culture festival, hosted by the Army as a nonprofit, public-interest event aimed at promoting the Army's development and future policies to the public, building trust in the military, and spreading positive values. It will be held for five days from October 1 (Thu) to October 5 (Mon) at the Gyeryongdae Airstrip in Chungnam. Marking its 22nd edition this year, the 2026 Ground Forces Festival will be held under the theme 'The Republic of Korea Army Protecting the Daily Lives of the People,' featuring exhibitions and boarding experiences of the latest Korea-U.S. combat equipment, as well as demonstrations of Army TIGER+ and drone-bots. Visitors can directly experience AI- and advanced-science-and-technology-based combat systems and the Army's evolving capabilities through demonstrations, exhibits, and hands-on activities at the Army Policy Promotion Hall. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of high-quality military culture performances, including military band and honor guard performances, taekwondo demonstrations, military police motorcycle drill demonstrations, Army performance team shows, and a road parade.
Photos
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
Other festivals in Chungcheongnam-do
Chungcheongnam-do
Gyeryong Military Culture Festival
Oct 1 – Oct 5, 2026
The Gyeryong Military Culture Festival is a major defense-themed cultural event held in Gyeryong, home to the headquarters of the Republic of Korea Army, Navy, and Air Force. First launched in 2007, the festival marks its 16th edition in 2026 and will run for five days from October 1 to 5. The festival opens with performances by top artists, followed by military band and honor guard shows and special performances by the Army performance team on the main and secondary stages and throughout the airstrip. This year will also feature the largest road parade in the festival’s history, along with a large-scale street parade involving some 700 participants, adding even more energy to the event. Visitors can take part in a wide range of hands-on military experiences, including military equipment and shooting activities, the Extreme Field Training Challenge, a Comprehensive Military Camp Experience, and VR and AR programs. The festival also offers history lectures, a special video pavilion with a 20-meter LED screen, a children’s theme park, and many other programs, making it a distinctive celebration of military culture for visitors of all ages.
Daejeon
Moonlight Music Festival
Sep 11 – Oct 17, 2026
The Moonlight Music Festival is a cultural and arts performance series designed to let people enjoy music on autumn nights from September through October in familiar, everyday settings across Daejeon’s five districts. As an open-air event free to all citizens, it will feature a total of five performances—one in each district. Against the backdrop of cool autumn nights, local artists performing a variety of genres will take the stage, alongside performances by popular singers. By adding music to the familiar and comfortable parks and riversides in the city center, the Moonlight Music Festival aims to provide special moments and experiences where families, couples, and friends can enjoy music together and share the joy of live performances as part of their daily lives.
Daejeon
Yuseong Ondal
Aug 14 – Dec 11, 2026
Yuseong Ondal, a new charm of Yuseong Hot Springs, is a stay-based tourism revitalization program that offers those seeking a comfortable pause from their tiring daily lives a special rest they can enjoy while staying. This event is filled with a variety of programs, including the Yuseong Healing Yoga Class at the Lawn Square of Gyeryong Spatel, which combines aromatherapy and tea ceremony for a true five-senses relaxation experience, and the Yuseong Onbit Outdoor Cinema, where visitors can enjoy immersive movies on a large screen with wireless headsets while feeling the cool breeze. In addition, the Biryongjae Small Concert takes place in the front yard of Biryongjae, a former presidential villa, offering beautiful melodies spanning all generations, from vocal music and classical to film scores, along with the Run Along Gapcheon Challenge, an ongoing, always-open program where participants can run along the beautiful waterway of Gapcheon to Yuseong Hot Springs District for health and vitality. Furthermore, a mobile pop-up truck promoting Yuseong Hot Springs' brand 'Yu-on' is on hand, and program participants are given coupons that can be used at hotels, cafes, bakeries, and other businesses within Yuseong Hot Springs District, adding warm vitality to the local economy. For detailed schedules and program applications for Yuseong Ondal, which offers a clean, vitalizing and relaxed day at Yuseong Hot Springs, visitors can easily proceed through the official website (yu-on.com).
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Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go. Official site