Ulsan to hold 2026 Taehwagang National Garden autumn festival

Ulsan will host the 2026 Taehwagang National Garden Autumn Festival from Friday through Sunday at the Taehwagang National Garden, under the theme "The Time Our Garden Turns."

This year's festival has expanded its participatory programming so residents can soak in the autumn atmosphere and find rest and healing amid the garden's seasonal blooms — chrysanthemums, pink muhly grass, pampas grass, cosmos and silver grass.

The opening ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday on a special stage at Wangbeodeul Plaza, featuring a magic performance by the Ulsan City Magic Association and a congratulatory set by singer Byeon Jip-seop.

Family-friendly hands-on events during the festival include "I'm a Little Gardener," "Happy Gardener," a children's play titled "Gold Axe, Silver Axe," autumn garden street performances, "Autumn Bouquet" — a surprise flower-bouquet auction — and an autumn jelly bag craft workshop.

Also on offer will be a 360-degree automatic photo booth, a mini duck train, an electric sightseeing tram, a sunset yoga and meditation garden, a healing garden, a flower market, a flea market and an autumn post office.

After dark, the chrysanthemum garden and zelkova tree path will be illuminated with media art and nighttime landscape lighting under the theme "A National Garden More Beautiful at Night."

Alongside this, a series of linked events will round out the program — a garden ecology and culture festival, the Ulsan Future Garden Festival, a naturalist garden photography exhibition and book discussion, an autumn music concert at Simni Daesup bamboo grove with residents, an international magic show, and an international botanical art competition.

A city official said the autumn festival would give residents a chance to see and enjoy Ulsan's transformation into a garden city, and encouraged wide participation.