Yanggu County in Gangwon Province is pairing a spring Gomchwi Festival with the debut of a barefoot clay trail — a move designed to draw visitors who want both outdoor fun and wellness-focused leisure.
The county announced on April 29 that the “2026 Youth Yanggu Gomchwi Festival” will run from May 2–5 at Leports Park in Yanggu-eup. Officials also plan to open a health-friendly barefoot clay trail at the same site on May 20, aiming to capture both spring travel demand and interest in outdoor activities.
Now in its 23rd year, the festival carries the slogan “Royal Gomchwi.” Centered on gomchwi, a beloved local spring green, the event mixes food, hands-on experiences, and live performances for a sensory-rich weekend. The timing around the Children’s Day holiday is expected to draw lots of family visitors.
After record attendance across the county’s three main festivals last year, expectations are high again. This year’s programming leans into family-friendly offerings. A pop-up kids’ playground called “Catch! Tinyping” will combine arcade fun, crafts, and DIY stations. A Kids Adventure Zone will add interactive features like a mobile petting zoo, inflatables, and gomchwi kit workshops so kids can join in the making.
The entertainment lineup has also expanded. On May 2, there will be a “Mini Force Sing-Along Show.” On Children’s Day, May 5, attendees can enjoy the “Catch! Tinyping Sing-Along Show” and a family children’s song festival titled “Gomirang Play! Sing! Enjoy!” Evening programming continues with an MBC radio public broadcast on opening night. The “Youth Yanggu Concert” on May 3 features DJ DOC and Park Da-hye, while the “Royal Gomchwi Concert” on May 4 spotlights Jang Yoon-jung and Kim Hong-nam. The festival wraps on May 5 with a family concert featuring Oksangdalbit.
Food-focused experiences are at the heart of the festival. Visitors can sample gomchwi pesto pizza, make gomchwi ice cream, try rice cake pounding with gomchwi, and taste leaf-wrapped bites. Gomchwi makgeolli (rice wine) will also be on sale to encourage local specialty consumption. Organizers are prioritizing eco-conscious operations by cutting single-use items and increasing reusable containers.
Auxiliary programs include a preregistered “Royal Healing Zone,” social media check-in events, and visitor surveys to boost engagement. Choi Jin-hee, secretary-general of the Yanggu Cultural Foundation, said, “We’ve prepared a wide range of programs for all ages so visitors can enjoy a warm spring at the Yanggu Gomchwi Festival. We hope families, friends, and couples leave with special memories and the scent of gomchwi in their hearts.”
Separately, the county will open the barefoot clay trail at Leports Park on May 20. The looped path is 2 meters (about 6.6 feet) wide and 380 meters (about 1,247 feet) long, surfaced with natural yellow clay and designed for barefoot walking. The trail includes amenities such as foot-washing stations, shoe lockers, and dust brushes for visitor comfort.
Since a temporary opening in August of last year, the trail has seen steady use, and the county received inquiries during the winter closure. It will reopen for spring after completing permitting and improvements this year, including additional foot-washing stations, trail refurbishment, and tree management.
Leports Park already hosts several sports facilities, including a gym, a futsal field, a swimming pool, and a water play area. The new clay trail adds walking and restorative elements, expanding the site into a multifunctional leisure destination. Kim Sun-hee, head of the Ecological Forestry Division, said, “We hope the clay trail becomes more than a simple walking path for residents — a place that heals both body and mind. We’ll keep expanding spaces where people can enjoy nature in everyday life.”
