Gangneung Danoje Festival

Gangneung Danoje is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and Korea's representative traditional festival that has carried on a thousand-year tradition. It is a leading cultural tourism festival in Korea, attracting over 500,000 tourists annually. The 2026 Gangneung Danoje will be held throughout Gangneung City for eight days from June 15 to June 22 under the theme of [unclear text]. Gangneung Danoje is a comprehensive festival that combines ancestral rites—the essence of traditional culture—shamanistic rituals (gut) where gods and humans communicate, and the nation's largest open-air market (nanjang). A total of 71 diverse programs across 13 categories will be operated, including events for nationally designated cultural heritage, citizen participation programs, and folk games. In particular, this year, under the theme of "Relief," the festival emphasizes the essential value of letting go of daily worries and misfortunes to naturally resolve one's hearts and relationships. The plan is to widely promote the sense of community and healing inherent in Gangneung Danoje to both domestic and international audiences.