LetsRun Park Yeongcheon to hold horse-culture festival marking grand opening

LetsRun Park Yeongcheon, operated by the Korea Racing Authority, will hold a community-oriented horse-culture festival from Sept. 12 through Sept. 20 under the slogan "Horses Run! Yeongcheon Gallops!" — bringing together local small-business owners and residents to mark the park's opening, the authority announced Monday.

The festival celebrates the park's official opening Friday — with a dedication ceremony set for Sunday — and goes beyond a single opening event to serve as a composite cultural gathering, with 30 Yeongcheon-based startup companies and local food vendors taking center stage.

The festival will open with a grand proclamation ceremony and a fanfare marking the first race.

Every Sunday, LetsRun Park Yeongcheon will introduce what it calls a "regional circuit racing" format — a first in South Korea — in which top racehorses from Bugyeong travel to the venue on race day to compete, showcasing horse racing as a high-energy spectator sport.

The park has also put in place a range of measures to welcome first-time racegoers.

A "Beginner's Racing Class" will run continuously inside the grandstand, offering short guides of about 10 minutes that teach visitors how races work and how to read a race card.

Bets start at as little as 100 won, letting visitors enjoy the thrill of picking a winner without financial pressure. A stamp tour using a "Derby Festa" mission booklet and a roulette prize event are also on offer to keep first-time visitors engaged.

Admission to LetsRun Park is just 2,000 won — free for minors — positioning it as a budget-friendly day out for the whole family at a time of high prices.

Families can head to "Fantasy Horse Land," a horse-themed experience zone, where hands-on programs include feeding miniature horses, making chuseok-themed horse lucky pouches and crafting horse-shaped keyrings — activities designed to engage children's senses.

A stage in front of the grandstand will host commemorative performances by popular singers alongside a giant balloon show, a bubble magic show and other varied acts.

Particularly central to the festival is economic cooperation with the local community. The Korea Racing Authority will set up "Yeongcheon Local Village" along the park's main pedestrian route, providing free booth space to 30 local startup companies from the Yeongcheon area.

The participating companies will promote and sell their products directly, generating revenue on-site, and will offer Yeongcheon's signature local product — wine — at discounted prices.

Korea Racing Authority Chairman Woo Hee-jong said the opening of LetsRun Park Yeongcheon "goes beyond simply launching a horse racing facility — it is a starting point for mutual growth, where Yeongcheon city and the Korea Racing Authority breathe together as a driving force for the local economy and job creation." He added that he hoped "this festival, where local businesses and citizens take center stage, will inject new vitality into the Yeongcheon economy."