Gimcheon to host no-frills grape festival focused on quality

Gimcheon City in North Gyeongsang Province announced Thursday that the 2026 Gimcheon Grape Festival will be held as a streamlined, substance-first event at the Gimcheon General Sports Town complex from Aug. 14 through Sept. 3.

The city is organizing this year's festival under a "three-none" concept, scrapping the traditional opening ceremony in favor of a grape quality competition awards ceremony. The change aims to cut unnecessary formalities and protocol while highlighting the quality of Gimcheon grapes, which the city touts as the finest in South Korea.

The city also revamped the festival's operations so that tourists can freely enjoy a range of programs from the moment the event opens.

The grape quality competition awards ceremony, which replaces the opening ceremony, will recognize top-producing farms and promote the quality and competitiveness of Gimcheon grapes to a national audience.

"This festival is not about putting on a show — it is about celebrating the excellence of Gimcheon grapes and the hard work of our farmers," said Park Gap-soon, head of the city's agricultural food retail division. "We will cut back on formality and raise the value of the grape, creating a festival that satisfies both residents and tourists."