Jangheung Water Festival opens July 25 to beat the summer heat

Jangheung-gun in South Jeolla Province will host the 19th Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival from July 25 through Aug. 2 — nine days of water-based activities along the Tamjin River and at the cypress forest Woodland. Organized by Jangheung-gun and run by the Jangheung Festival Tourism Foundation, this year's festival carries the theme "Water and Forest — Rest."

On opening day, July 25, the "Colorful Water Cannon Street Parade" kicks off at 1 p.m. from the Jangheung Community Center. The procession moves along Jungang-ro, staging water performances before heading to the main water-fight arena. Participants include African percussion acts, a brass band, Hawaiian dancers and clowns, with giant avatar floats and color zones set up along the route. After the parade, a water party hosted by DJs and dance crews will take place on a special stage at the intersection in front of the Jangheung County Office.

The festival's headline program, the "World's Greatest Water Fight," begins daily at 2 p.m. It runs 60 minutes on weekdays and 120 minutes on weekends, and this year the battle zone has been expanded to cover the entire festival grounds. After a warm-up, participants take part in water-cannon, water-balloon and water-gun fights set to music. Team water battles, a giant volleyball match and a "Water Friends Time" session are also on the schedule.

A freshwater fish-catching experience called "Golden Fish Catch" runs daily at 3 p.m. along the Tamjin River through Aug. 1. Participants can wade into the river to catch eel, catfish and crucian carp. The river area also offers water rides — wooden boats, banana boats and peanut boats — alongside a water slide, a splash zone and an event pool.

New nighttime attractions have been added this year: a starlight-and-moonlight youth zone, the Jangheung Mulbit Night Market and the Mulbit ON Zone. The Mulbit ON Zone serves as a shaded rest area during the day and transforms into a luminous space after dark.

A lineup of performances rounds out the program. On July 31, the "Jangheung Rock Festival" will feature Daybreak, FT Island, the Kim Gyeong-ho Band, Crackshot and Eve. On Aug. 1, an EDM party runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., featuring DJ Hyebin, Cheetah, Lee Ha-neul & Jeong Jae-yong, Bitgoeul Dancers and Triple X.