Night dining, walking and history programs on offer
Goyang Special City began accepting advance reservations Monday for key experience programs at the "2026 Goyang National Heritage Night Festival: Art Night at Haengju Street," one of the city's signature autumn evening festivals.
The reservation window covers three themed programs — night dining, a night walk and a night history tour — that allow participants to explore the history and culture of Haengju Sanseong fortress and the Battle of Haengju through all five senses.
The night dining program, "Haengju Luncation," blends culinary and historical experiences drawn from the Battle of Haengju and the folk tale of the "Rice Grandmother." Participants can sample rice balls inspired by the legend, apricot jam made from apricot trees that once grew abundantly around Haengju Sanseong, and misutgaru — a traditional grain-powder drink once used as a meal substitute — while listening to a storytelling guide. The program runs Oct. 10 for international students at Korea Aerospace University and Oct. 17 for the general public.
The night walk program, "Haengju Past Road," takes participants on a guided stroll through Haengju Sanseong with a cultural tourism interpreter, completing various missions along the way. It operates on two courses: the "Seonbi Road" and the "General's Road." The Seonbi Road recreates the scholarly pursuits and education of Joseon-era students through four activity rooms — painting, gonu (a traditional board game), territory-claiming and astronomy. It runs twice daily at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The General's Road honors the loyalty and patriotic spirit of General Gwon Yul through archery, stone-throwing, card-flipping and astronomy stations, running twice daily at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The astronomy room that closes both courses will be planned and run by students from Astro, the astronomy club of Korea Aerospace University, offering visitors a special nighttime stargazing experience.
The night history program, "That Night in Haengju," features young docents who have completed a junior guide training course at Haengju Sanseong. It runs four times a day from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. over five days on weekends and public holidays at the Battle Memorial Hall, which chronicles the history of the Battle of Haengju, with the young guides bringing the story to life from a child's perspective.
"Local university students and young guides — citizens themselves — have taken the lead in enriching the festival," a city official said. "We hope many residents will join us to enjoy the history and romance of Haengju Sanseong on cool autumn evenings."
Advance reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis from Monday through Oct. 4 through the Goyang Special City integrated reservation website or the city's culture and tourism website.
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