Andong mask dance festival to open Sept. 24

The city of Andong in North Gyeongsang Province announced Thursday that the 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival will run for 11 days from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4 at Jungangseon 1942 Andong Station, Mask Dance Park, the old downtown area and Hahoe Village.

Designated as one of South Korea's global festivals by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, this year's event connects the communal memories embedded in masks through dance to contemporary life.

Held under the theme "Memories of the Mask, Dance for All," the festival will feature 27 overseas performance troupes from 23 countries, 17 domestic traditional mask dance groups whose work is inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, and 10 madang theater and original drama companies.

Visitors can experience a wide range of traditional dances and mask cultures from around the world alongside Korean mask dance traditions — including Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori, Bongsan Talchum, Gangnyeong Talchum and Dongnae Yaryu — all in one place.

The opening ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 25 on the main stage at Jungangseon 1942 Andong Station, featuring an entrance performance by overseas troupes, a themed stage show, a communal dance celebration with performers and audience members, and a fireworks display.

Starting at 6 p.m., a parade connecting the old downtown area and the festival grounds will kick off the evening, with domestic and international troupes and local residents taking part.

This year's guest of honor country is Malaysia.

"Malaysia Guest of Honor Day" will be held on the main stage from 2 p.m. Sept. 26, with the official delegation from Sabah state on Borneo Island and Malaysian performance troupes joining for a cultural exchange.

Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori and Malaysian cultural performances will share the same stage, and a Sabah cultural pavilion will introduce traditional masks, crafts and tourism content throughout the festival. Traditional Malaysian craft workshops and special food offerings will also be available.

Interactive programs for visitors will run at the festival grounds and in the old downtown area. The Global Mask Parade will be held four times — on Sept. 26, Sept. 27, Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 — with a communal dance celebration featuring performers and audience members beginning at 7 p.m. on each of those days.

Competition programs will include the World Mask Dance Contest, the World Creative Mask Design Competition, a mask painting contest, and "TaLooK," a competition combining masks with fashion.

A busking stage at Mask Dance Park will offer mask dance lessons and "Tallalla Dance" classes from Sept. 25 through Oct. 4. The mask dance troupe "Remember" will perform guerrilla shows and interactive performances at various spots around the festival grounds.

Parades will also wind through the old downtown area and the festival grounds, while the market performance group "Market Mask" will visit the old and new markets to mingle with merchants, residents and tourists. A side program called "Talchum Oejeon" — featuring performances by local artists and community participation activities — will be staged at Bukmun Market, Sinsi Market, Gusi Market and Yongsang Market.

At Hahoe Village, visitors can enjoy Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori and traditional cultural performances.

On Sept. 26, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m., the Seonyu Julbul Nori — a traditional Andong fire-on-a-rope spectacle — will be staged in the Mansongjeong and Buyongdae area, offering the distinctive atmosphere of an Andong autumn night through rope-fire displays, falling embers, egg-shaped lanterns and boat rides.

Additional programs running throughout the festival grounds include an exhibition of more than 400 prize-winning works from the World Creative Mask Design Competition, a world mask exhibition hall, an East Asian City of Culture mask exhibition, an Andong traditional liquor expo and a mask atelier — offering a mix of performances, exhibitions and hands-on experiences.

"This year's festival is a gathering where residents, tourists and performance troupes from around the world come together on the foundation of the traditional values held within masks and mask dance," Andong Mayor Kwon Ki-chang said. "We hope visitors will enjoy the many charms of Andong — from the festival grounds and old downtown to the traditional markets and Hahoe Village — and create special autumn memories."