Gyeongju to open 2026 heritage night festival Sept. 18

Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, announced Thursday that its signature nighttime cultural festival, the "2026 Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Night," will run for three days from Sept. 18 to Sept. 20. The event will take place across Woljeong Bridge, Gyochon Village and the area around Gyeongju Fortress.

The event, now in its 11th year, is hosted by Gyeongju, the Cultural Heritage Administration and North Gyeongsang Province, and organized by the Gyeongju Cultural Center.

This year's theme, "Fragments — Preserved, and to Be Preserved," aims to weave together heritage sites and historical traces scattered across Gyeongju into a single narrative. It carries the value of heritage passed down from the past into the present and future.

The festival has expanded its grounds beyond Woljeong Bridge and Gyochon Village to include the area around Gyeongju Fortress, and the number of programs has grown from 33 last year to 45 this year.

Offerings include night views of Woljeong Bridge and the surrounding heritage sites, lantern-lit heritage tours, street performances and storytelling content, exhibitions and hands-on experiences, history and humanities programs, a night market featuring local artists and youth, and programs linking local food and lodging.

Since Gyeongju was designated a pet-friendly city in 2025, the festival will also run a "Heritage Night Walk With Your Pet" program.

Participants will walk through the downtown route from Woljeong Bridge through Gyochon Village to Cheomseongdae, Gyerim and Gyeongju Fortress, experiencing the city's history and culture against a nighttime backdrop.

Further details are available on the Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Night website.

"This year we expanded the festival grounds to include Gyeongju Fortress, connecting heritage sites across downtown into a single route," said Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young. "I hope citizens and tourists will feel the thousand years of history and the value of our cultural heritage as they walk Gyeongju's nighttime streets."