A scene from last year's Daegu Chimaek Festival. [Daegu city government]
A scene from last year's Daegu Chimaek Festival. [Daegu city government]

The 2026 Daegu Chimaek Festival, one of South Korea's signature summer events, opens Wednesday at Duryu Park for a five-day run.

The Daegu city government said Tuesday the festival will run under the slogan "Chimaek 26 (Takeoff)" and will feature world-class content and cutting-edge operations, including a giant globe performance, interactive programming and an AI-based management platform.

The opening ceremony at 2·28 Freedom Square in Duryu Park will feature the lighting of a giant "chimaek globe" symbolizing the festival's global ambitions, followed by a communal toast performance.

Top-tier acts are lined up for the 360-degree circular stage at 2·28 Freedom Square throughout the festival: FT Island performs Wednesday, N.Flying on Thursday, 10CM on Friday, Wonstein and Haengju on Saturday, and Park Myung-su and Car, the Garden on Sunday.

At the 2·28 Memorial Tower parking lot, festivalgoers can enjoy chimaek — fried chicken and beer — alongside professional DJs at the "Chimaek Sing-Along Club," a mass sing-along experience. The Kolon Outdoor Music Hall will host "Chisang Paradise EGG Island" and an indie band EGG concert, among other offerings.

A "K-Chimaek Street" will stretch along the Duryu Park road, featuring a chimaek welcome walkway, an amusement zone and a flea market, with sensory experiences scattered throughout the festival grounds.

To support exchanges among international visitors, a "Global Lounge" exclusively for overseas tourists will operate at the 2·28 Freedom Square observation deck. An AI-based festival management platform will also provide event information in multiple languages.

The full program schedule for the 2026 Daegu Chimaek Festival is available on the official website.

"With world-class content and a state-of-the-art operating system firmly in place, we expect Daegu to establish itself this summer as the global hub of chimaek culture," said Park Gi-hwan, director of the Daegu city government's economic affairs bureau.


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com