The Yeongdeok Culture and Tourism Foundation announced Wednesday that it will hold the 2026 Yeongdeok Lifestyle Culture Festival for four days, from Thursday to Sunday, around Deokgokcheon stream in Yeongdeok-eup.
The event, held along the stream, first debuted in 2022 as the Upcycling Art Festa. It has expanded its programs and participation scale each year since, marking its fifth edition this year.
Every year, the festival offers a variety of cultural and arts programs that local residents can take part in and enjoy directly.
During the festival, Deokgokcheon stream is transformed into an open cultural space combining performances, hands-on experiences, exhibitions and other cultural programs, allowing people of all ages to enjoy arts and culture close to their everyday lives.
This year's festival, themed "A Lifestyle Culture Festival With Books and Music," sets up rest areas and seating throughout the stream area and stocks books from various fields, creating spaces where visitors can linger by the water to read freely and relax.
During the festival, artists across a range of genres — including Norazo, Yurisangja, Dongmulwon (Zoo), Ma Jin, Kim Ji-hyun, Baek Bong-gi and Choi Ki-jung — will take the stage, offering rich performances for audiences of all ages to enjoy together.
The festival carries added significance because it goes beyond performances by well-known artists — local residents and lifestyle culture clubs also take part directly as organizers.
A range of local performing arts clubs will take the stage, including a poetry reading titled "Along the Country Road," while club members' own artworks will be exhibited throughout the Deokgokcheon area.
"This year, we prepared the festival so that people can enjoy a wide range of culture — performances, humanities programs, hands-on experiences and exhibitions — all in one space centered on books and music," an official from the Yeongdeok Culture and Tourism Foundation said.
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