With about 15 million people in South Korea living with pets and autumn camping continuing to draw crowds, the country's first camping-style pet festival is set to kick off in September.
The 2026 Camping & Pet Scout Festival, organized by the Gangwon Province Pet Animal Association and supported by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, will run for three days from Sept. 4 to 6 at the World Scout Jamboree Training Center in Goseong-gun.
About 1,500 participants — both pet owners and non-pet owners — are expected to attend. The event is themed around a two-night, three-day camping festival bringing together dog owners, their pets and people without pets, and aims to promote healthy leisure culture and boost local tourism.
Organizers plan to showcase stay-based tourism content combining pet culture with camping, drawing on the training center's natural surroundings and existing camping facilities.
"This event is a new kind of camping festival where pet owners and non-pet owners come together," said Park Yu-jin, head of the animal quarantine division at Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. "We hope it will help spread a mature pet culture in which people and animals coexist, and bring new energy to local tourism."
The festival will operate camping areas, a brand zone and a food zone so both pet owners and general participants can enjoy the event. Dog-friendly zones will be kept separate from general camping areas so all attendees can take part safely and comfortably.
The main programs include an agility show, animal registration and behavior counseling, health programs such as puppy yoga, a campfire, an outdoor film festival, and an off-leash zone where dogs can move freely in a designated area without a leash or harness.
Meanwhile, the Gangwon Province Pet Animal Association will also play a leading role in the Goseong DMZ Peaceman Aqua Duathlon, which takes place six days after the camping festival wraps up.
The Goseong DMZ Peaceman Aqua Duathlon will be held Sept. 12 at Hwajinpo Beach and the Chodo coastal trail in Goseong-gun. The event combines beach running with open-water swimming in a new form of sports tourism. Pre-registration for competitors has closed, but the unfamiliar sport has drawn wide public attention.
The Goseong-gun Triathlon Association of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province is hosting the event, with Korea Extreme and Sports and Wellness Goseong serving as organizers. Sponsors include Episode Company, the Korea Rural Guesthouse Association, the Gangwon Province Pet Animal Association and Deovislab, with Seoul F&B and Asti International serving as additional supporters.
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