Residents and tourists enjoy performances and programs at the 2026 53rd Silla Cultural Festival, held Friday through Sunday at Woljeong Bridge and Bonghwangdae in Gyeongju. [Gyeongju City]
Residents and tourists enjoy performances and programs at the 2026 53rd Silla Cultural Festival, held Friday through Sunday at Woljeong Bridge and Bonghwangdae in Gyeongju. [Gyeongju City]

Gyeongju city in North Gyeongsang Province announced Monday that the 2026 53rd Silla Cultural Festival — a three-day event reinterpreting the millennium-old history and culture of the Silla Kingdom through a contemporary lens — concluded successfully to strong response from residents and tourists.

Co-hosted by North Gyeongsang Province and Gyeongju city and organized by the Gyeongju Culture Foundation, the festival ran Friday through Sunday at Woljeong Bridge, Bonghwangdae and other venues across the city.

Major programs — including the Hwabaek Jejeon ceremony, the Silk Road Festa, the Hwarang Hip-Hop Festa and the Dalbit Nanjang night market — drew crowds across generations throughout the festival grounds. Programs blending Silla's historical culture with modern performances and hands-on experiences drew particularly strong responses from attendees.

A citizen festival operations team of 321 people — comprising community supporters, citizen producers and youth green leaders — took direct part in everything from preparations and promotion to program management.

Local artists and businesses also lent their support, adding significance to the event as a festival built together by residents and the wider community.

Safety was also a priority throughout the event.

Gyeongju city deployed safety, security and operations personnel at each venue and worked closely with police, the fire department and other relevant agencies to manage crowd flow and monitor congestion.

Safety fences and emergency exits were secured at major performance venues that drew large crowds, and entry was managed flexibly based on on-site conditions — measures that helped the festival conclude without incident.

"Thanks to the active participation of residents and tourists, and the cooperation of relevant agencies, we were able to bring the Silla Cultural Festival to a safe close," Gyeongju Mayor Ju Nak-young said. "Based on an objective assessment of our results, we will build on what worked well and address what fell short, so that the festival continues to improve."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com