Gyeongsan Gatbawi Wish-Fulfillment Festival marks 25th edition with new downtown venue

The Gyeongsan Culture and Tourism Foundation in North Gyeongsang Province announced Wednesday that the 25th Gyeongsan Gatbawi Wish-Fulfillment Festival will be held Sept. 19-20 at Onmaru Square in Gyeongsan Life Sports Park.

The festival had previously been held near the public parking lot in Wachon-myeon, but this year organizers moved it to the city center to improve accessibility for tourists and residents.

The event has been substantially revamped as an urban tourism festival open to all, while retaining the core identity of "wishes" and the symbolic significance of Gatbawi.

Programming will include interactive wish-fulfillment experiences for visitors, a communal Buddhist gathering centered on harmony and dialogue, a shared bibimbap offering and temple food demonstration, and live concerts.

Organizers also plan to promote key tourism attractions around Gatbawi and Wachon-myeon, aiming to channel festival visits into broader regional tourism and consumer spending.

Detailed schedules and program information for this year's festival are available on the Gyeongsan Culture and Tourism Foundation's website.

"We will use this venue change as a turning point to grow the Gyeongsan Gatbawi Wish-Fulfillment Festival from a locally confined event into a nationally recognized wish and tourism festival representing all of South Korea," a foundation official said.