The Han River Summer Music Picnic, one of the programs at the 2026 Han River Festival_Summer, is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
The Han River Summer Music Picnic, one of the programs at the 2026 Han River Festival_Summer, is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold the 2026 Han River Festival_Summer at nine Han River parks from Aug. 1 to 16, the city announced Tuesday. The event is designed to help residents beat the summer heat at the Han River — the city's most accessible summer retreat — while also boosting the local economy.

Themed "Cool and Certain Escape: The Refreshing Han River," the festival features 16 programs spanning performances, films, hands-on activities and water sports. "We prepared this so that anyone can enjoy a great time at the Han River in the heart of the city, whenever they like," a Seoul city official said.

The festival opens Saturday and Sunday evenings at Yanghwa Han River Park with the Han River Summer Music Picnic. The event pairs a summer night atmosphere with jazz and crowd-favorite pop songs — including "Bulgeun Noeul" and "Geudaege" — while 25 drones perform the city's first-ever water drone show above the river.

During the same weekend, Nanji Water Park will host Han River Music Pongdang, a water music concert where visitors can swim while enjoying DJ sets and hip-hop and rock performances.

On Aug. 8, Mangwon Han River Park and the Seoul Battleship Park area will host Han River No-Sleep 2 Days: All-Night Han River ON. Attendees can binge-watch the drama series "Coffee Prince" through the night, followed by a late-night screening of the horror film "Salmokji: Whispering Water." Late-night snacks including Han River ramyun will be available, along with comic books and board games provided by private company Cartoon Plus. A direct-sale farmers market from North Gyeongsang Province's Sangju — famous for its peaches — will also open, offering a variety of peach-based foods.

Every Saturday during the festival, Yeouido Han River Park will host the Han River Silent DJ Party, where participants dance to DJ music wearing wireless headsets in the evening riverside setting.

Ttukseom, Gwangnaru and Yeouido Han River parks will each hold Han River Under-the-Bridge Cinema, where visitors can watch films while enjoying the evening river breeze. Jamsil Han River Park will stage a tightrope-walking performance — a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Before the show, children can try slackline walking on a 5-centimeter-wide line.

Other programs running across various Han River parks include My Own Han River Boat Race, where participants build their own vessels from tubes and bamboo and sail them on the river; Han River Night Walk 42K, an overnight walk taking in the Han River's nighttime scenery; and Han River Silent Yoga, where participants wear headsets to block out noise and focus on their practice.

Programs for children and teenagers include the Han River Water Safety Experience Class, where participants tour the 119 water rescue unit and learn CPR and rescue equipment use, and the Han River Summer Ecology Class, which lets young visitors observe the river's wildlife.

A wide range of water leisure activities will also be on offer. Programs for all skill levels include the Blue Wave Challenge Han River: Water Marathon, where participants paddle a self-chosen course on a paddleboard, and Han River Paddle Sports, a kayak and paddleboard experience taking in the city skyline. Yacht, kayak and cruise experiences will be available at 10 to 50 percent off regular prices.

Full details on the 2026 Han River Festival_Summer are available on the festival's official website and SNS channels.

Park Jin-young, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Future Han River Bureau, said the Han River has long been the city's signature summer destination for water play and boating. "I hope people will spend the whole day and night at the Han River enjoying summer, and that spending at the river will flow into the surrounding commercial areas and help revitalize the local economy," he said.


ken@heraldcorp.com