[Herald Economy (Busan)=Reporter Jeong Min-hye] Gijang County announced on the 21st that the 30th Gijang Anchovy Festival — the country's premier seafood celebration — will open against the spring sea at Daebyeon Port in Gijang-eup on the 24th.Celebrating its 30th year, the Gijang Anchovy Festival is the county’s flagship event, organized by the Gijang Anchovy Festival Promotion Committee. To mark this milestone, organizers have put together an extra-rich lineup of programs and experiences.
The festival opens with a ceremony on the 24th and offers a mix of cultural and hands-on activities, including ▷fishing boat boarding experiences ▷barehanded live-fish catching ▷an Anchovy Silver Rock (락(樂)) performance ▷and a sea fireworks show. Performers scheduled are Jeong Seo-ju and Cheon Rok-dam on the 24th; Son Bin-ah, Chae Yoon, and Choi Ji-ye on the 25th; and Mr. Pang, Kim Soo-hee, and Jang Ha-on on the 26th, all adding energy to the celebrations.
The Gijang Anchovy Song Festival, which recruited participants through pre-registration, will hold preliminaries on the 25th and the final on the 26th. After the final, MCs Park Gun and Na Tae-joo will host the Taegun Singing Contest. Festivalgoers can also enjoy free anchovy sashimi tastings throughout the three-day event.
For visitor convenience, a free shuttle bus will run on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., connecting Donghae Line Gijang Station Parking Lot No. 2 to the Muyang Village roundabout.
“To celebrate our 30th anniversary, we’ve carefully prepared richer food options and more memorable attractions than ever before,” said Choi Il-cheon, chair of the Gijang Anchovy Festival Promotion Committee. “We invite everyone to come to Gijang, soak up the warm spring vibes, enjoy the anchovy festival, and make special memories.”
