The festival, set for Oct. 31 at Madeu Sports Town, welcomes both pet owners and non-owners with a full lineup of activities — from a dog Olympics and pet etiquette quiz to a talk concert by veterinarian Seol Chae-hyeon
Nowon-gu in Seoul will host the 9th pet culture festival "Nowon Banham" (meaning "with pets in Nowon") at the Madeu Sports Town soccer field on Oct. 31.
Now in its ninth year, the festival aims to deepen public understanding of companion animals and promote a more mature pet culture. Running under the slogan "A Nowon where pet owners and non-owners are happy together," the event is designed as a participatory festival that anyone can enjoy regardless of whether they have a pet.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. across the Madeu Sports Town soccer field, with the venue divided into a main stage program, a field program and experience booths.
On the main stage, the festivities kick off with "Pet-iquette Golden Bell," a quiz game testing knowledge of pet-related facts and proper etiquette. An opening ceremony follows at 11 a.m., after which veterinarian and animal behavior expert Seol Chae-hyeon takes the stage for a talk concert on the theme of "healthy pet life." A Q&A session and autograph signing with attendees will follow the talk.
The afternoon schedule includes a magic bubble show for children, along with animal protection education and a pet first-aid class. The children's programming is designed to help young visitors learn the value of respecting life and broaden their understanding of companion animals through play and hands-on activities.
Out on the field, a range of programs will bring dogs and their owners together for exercise and bonding. The dog Olympics gets underway after a demonstration by the national agility team, with three events — "stay," "come" and slalom — in which dogs and owners compete as a pair. Top performers in each event will receive awards.
Owners wishing to enter the dog Olympics can pre-register by scanning the QR code on the promotional poster. "Etiquette 5," a basic manners session for dogs and their owners, and a children's park golf activity are available on a walk-in basis with no prior registration required.
A range of hands-on programs awaits pet families and children alike. The "Daengdaeng Zone" offers dog grooming, exercise tips, behavior-correction consultations and workshops where visitors can make aroma wet wipes, toys and ID tags. The "Children's Zone" features pet career experiences, a dog breed identification game, caricature drawing and face painting.
The festival will also run a pet supplies flea market, two food trucks and a picnic-style dining area so visitors can relax and enjoy the day at their own pace. Nowon-gu's pet culture center, Daengdaeng House, will operate a promotional booth to introduce its programs and animal welfare policies, and to raise awareness about adopting stray dogs.
Nowon-gu District Mayor Seo Jun-o said he hopes the festival will be "a time for pet owners and non-owners to mingle, understand each other and show consideration for one another," adding that the district will continue working to help "a mature pet culture of harmonious coexistence between people and animals take root in the community."
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