Nowon-gu District Mayor Oh Seung-rok opened the "2026 Nowon Train Village Festival" on Saturday at an outdoor forest stage beside Nowon Train Village in Hwarangdae Railway Park, on the first day of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
About 150 people attended the opening ceremony, including the district mayor, National Assembly members, the district council chair, Seoul and district council members, the district mayor-elect and festival visitors.
As the opening fell on Memorial Day, organizers held a special performance to reflect on the meaning of peace. District Mayor Oh and other guests moved to the front of a Mika steam locomotive, where they planted "Taegukgi pinwheels" — Korean national flag pinwheels bearing messages of gratitude to fallen patriots — into flagpoles to express their love of country.
The festival's backdrop, Hwarangdae Railway Park, is a train-themed park built along a decommissioned section of the Gyeongchun Line and around its historic station building. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recognized it as a nationally significant cultural destination, selecting it for its "Korea Local 100" program in both the first cohort in 2023 and the second cohort this year — two consecutive selections.
The festival runs Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Visitors can enjoy a range of hands-on activities — mini train rides, RC car and RC heavy-equipment operation, and workshops to make train-themed keyrings and pencil holders — alongside performances including a musical gala show, popera, a balloon show and a bubble show, offering families a memorable weekend outing.
"It is meaningful to hold the first festival this year after developing various facilities and a train village on a decommissioned rail line," District Mayor Oh said. "I hope you will reflect on the significance of Memorial Day here and create happy memories with your families."
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