Summer festivals adapt as record heat grips South Gyeongsang Province

A record-breaking heat wave — the most intense since modern weather observations began — has swept across South Gyeongsang Province, putting summer festivals planned for the peak vacation season on high alert.

According to the South Gyeongsang Provincial Government, eight cities and counties are hosting summer festivals between late July and August, offering water activities, performances, concerts and haunted-house experiences.

Three festivals have recently wrapped up: the Miryang Performing Arts Festival (Miryang, July 21–Aug. 1), the Chunsureun Festival (Goseong-gun, July 30–Aug. 1) and the Sancheong Shining Summer Night Festival (Sancheong-gun, July 31–Aug. 1).

Several more are under way or set to open: the Geochang International Theater Festival (Geochang-gun, July 31–Aug. 9), the Ghost Park Festival (Hapcheon-gun, July 31–Aug. 16), the Jinju M2 Festival (Jinju, Aug. 7–9), the Super Festival (Miryang, Aug. 7–9) and the Hansando Victory Festival (Tongyeong, Aug. 12–16).

Two of those events carry deep roots. The Geochang International Theater Festival is in its 36th edition, while the Tongyeong Hansando Victory Festival — held each year to mark the naval victory at the Battle of Hansando during the Imjin War — celebrates its 65th.

Daytime temperatures in Yangsan have topped 40 degrees Celsius this year, and all 18 cities and counties in the province have been gripped by sweltering midsummer heat, making heat-wave preparedness the top safety priority for festival organizers.

The provincial government has directed local authorities to adjust event schedules, scale back programs, or cancel and modify activities depending on the severity of the heat.

Goseong-gun held the Chunsureun Festival at Yeonghyeon-myeon's Yeongdong Riverside Park — its first edition in three years since 2023 — centering the program on water play.

Although trees surround the venue, the county installed additional shade canopies to cover the entire festival grounds. Water dispensers and large electric fans were placed throughout the site so visitors could cool down and rest at any time.

Miryang has decided that if daytime temperatures during the Super Festival reach 36 degrees Celsius or above, programs will be adjusted between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Hapcheon-gun and Sancheong-gun planned their festivals to begin in the evening, when temperatures ease after sunset. The Sancheong Shining Summer Night Festival ran concerts and a kids' zone from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Hapcheon Ghost Park Festival runs from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Hapcheon Film Theme Park, featuring haunted-house experiences and performances.

The Miryang Performing Arts Festival, which had previously run outdoor performance programs, moved nearly all of its shows indoors this year and drew large crowds as a result.

Over the course of the festival, 46 troupes gave 68 performances. Three shows — including "Saranghae Eomma" and "Mrs. Macam" — sold out, and 6,000 of the 7,300 available seats were filled, putting the occupancy rate in the 80 percent range.

"The heat was at its peak during the festival, with Miryang recording temperatures of around 38 degrees Celsius, but because the program was centered on indoor performances, we were at least able to run the festival without too much worry," said Jeong Jin-yeong, a production director at the Miryang Culture and Tourism Foundation's festival operations team.