Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang Province is staging a series of seasonal festivals as part of a push to position itself as a wellness tourism city.
On the 14th, the county said it will stage a relay of events — a spring azalea festival, a summer night festival, and an autumn herbal medicine festival — to draw visitors.
'The Jirisan Sancheong Dried Persimmon Festival' ran from Jan. 8 to 11 at the Sancheong Dried Persimmon Distribution Center in Sicheon-myeon. The festival, which has won Korea's Festival Content Grand Prize for 10 consecutive years, concluded successfully with participatory events such as a nationwide amateur singing contest for homemakers and a cooking competition, marking a strong start to the 2026 festival season.
'The 42nd Sancheong Hwangmaesan Azalea Festival' will be held from May 1 to 10 around Hwangmaesan in Chahwang-myeon. Set against the nation's largest azalea colonies, the festival will feature an azalea ceremony, a market for local agricultural specialties, and other programs. In mid-April, the Saengcho International Moss Phlox Festival will take place around the Saengcho International Sculpture Park, where sculptures and vibrant moss phlox will create a striking display.
In August, the county will host the 'ON Sancheong Shining Summer Night Festival' around Josan Park in Sancheong-eup. In September, organizers plan nighttime programs at the Jungsan tourist site — the gateway to Jirisan's Cheonwangbong Peak — offering family-focused restorative activities that combine forest experiences with illuminated nightscapes.
The county intends to hold an 'ESG Trekking Event' in September and October using previously restricted sections of Jirisan's Jangdang Valley. The event is designed to present a model of sustainable travel that balances ecological conservation with responsible tourism. In early October, the 26th Sancheong Herbal Medicine Festival — designated an Honorary Cultural Tourism Festival three times in a row — will take place at Donguibogam Village.
A county official said, \"This year we will welcome visitors with richer tourism offerings,\" adding, \"We will use tourism to find opportunities amid population decline and the risk of regional disappearance, and to bring rest, warmth, and comfort to people's lives.\"
