Changwon's Gagopa chrysanthemum festival returns Oct. 31 for 9-day run

Changwon will host the 26th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8 across three venues — the 3·15 Maritime Nuri Park, Happo Waterfront Park and the Masan Maritime New Town area — the city announced Monday.

This year's festival, themed "Chrysanthemums Embrace the Autumn Sea," expands the event grounds into three zones and strengthens nighttime programming, celebrity chef food offerings, and visitor safety and convenience measures. The city has set a target of 900,000 visitors.

Moving beyond its traditional fireworks-centered evening program, the festival will debut a maritime "nakwha" fire-flower show — a traditional Korean performance in which burning embers cascade from ropes over water — in front of 3·15 Maritime Nuri Park at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4. A multimedia fireworks show will also be held on opening night, Oct. 31.

The third festival zone at Masan Maritime New Town, focused on food and hands-on activities, will feature 15 vendor booths. Chefs Kwak Dong-hun, Song Ji-beom and Ko Seok-hyeon — all alumni of the tvN cooking survival program "Street Restaurant Fighter" — will serve tacos, grilled sausages and pork charcoal galbi, among other dishes.

A "Chrysanthemum Pass" will also be introduced to channel festival spending into the local economy. Priced at 12,900 won ($10), the pass grants access to benefits at 36 existing Changwon tour pass partner establishments and offers discounts of 2,000 won per booth at up to three booths within the festival grounds. The city plans to designate eight nearby shops as temporary partner outlets to draw visitors into the old downtown commercial district.

Changwon will convert two sites within Masan Maritime New Town and the area around an unopened eight-lane road into temporary parking lots, securing a total of 5,500 spaces — 1,000 more than last year. The city will also enforce a "one-strike-out" policy under which any vendor booth caught price-gouging will be immediately removed from the festival.

"We will solidify our standing as a leading national autumn festival through expanded venues and differentiated content," Changwon Mayor Kang Ki-yun said. "We will put in place parking and convenience measures so visitors can enjoy the festival with peace of mind, and we will do our utmost to keep prices in check."