Wonju Innovation City hosts 'I Am a Citizen' festival for public institution families

Wonju city and the Wonju Culture Foundation held the "2026 Innovation Festa," a neighborhood festival in Wonju Innovation City, where employees of relocated public institutions and their families now live alongside longtime Wonju residents as members of the same community.

The festivities continue Friday and Saturday, when the Pavori Chamber Orchestra will host "Mirinae Kids Music Day," a children's classical music performance on Mirinae Street in Wonju Innovation City — the same venue as the Innovation Festa. Showings are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Innovation Festa featured 35 booths in total, including food stalls and retail vendors. Performances by local artists and acts spanning a range of genres added energy to the event grounds.

The steady flow of visitors to the food and retail booths also helped boost the local commercial district. Festivalgoers could enjoy cultural performances while shopping for local products and food, blending culture and commerce in a way that gave the event added significance.

Family-oriented activity programs also proved popular. Organizers set up bubble play, face painting and photo zones to give visitors of all ages something to enjoy. A stamp tour, a public auction and a "brag about your neighborhood" segment gave residents direct opportunities to participate and connect with one another.

The opening ceremony included a performance calling for a second round of public institution relocations to the region. Attendees shared their hopes for the innovation city's next leap forward and its future.

An Guk-ryang, head of the regional development division at Wonju City, said the Innovation Festa was "a festival where citizens, relocated public institutions and local merchants came together naturally, with culture and commerce flowing seamlessly." He added that the city would continue working with relocated public institutions and local businesses to expand cultural programming for residents and hold events that provide tangible support to the local commercial district.

The Mirinae Kids Music Day performances are designed to help infants and young children discover and enjoy classical music in a welcoming setting. The program centers on short pieces running three to five minutes, with familiar children's favorites — including "Baby Shark," nursery rhyme medleys and cartoon theme songs — arranged for classical instruments.

Each showing has its own character. The first features a narrated listening experience of "The Carnival of the Animals," with a voice actor guiding the audience, while the second offers a children's film music concert presented on a large screen.

Admission is free for all showings. The event is open to children and families in Wonju Innovation City as well as all Wonju residents.