Gwangjin-gu to hold 2026 community sports festival at Han River park

Gwangjin-gu announced Wednesday that it will hold the "2026 Fifteen-Dong Sports Association Hanmaeum Athletic Festival" on Saturday at the artificial-turf soccer field in Ttukseom Hangang Park.

Organized by the Gwangjin-gu Sports Association and the Gwangjin-gu Dong Sports Association, the event is designed to bring together about 750 dong sports association members and local residents for athletic activities that promote community communication and unity.

The festival opens at 9:40 a.m. with pre-ceremony performances by a bodybuilding team and a taekwondo demonstration squad, followed by an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Competition begins in earnest at 10:30 a.m.

All events are recreational sports disciplines accessible to participants of all ages. Morning events include shoe archery and a paddle-ball rally, while the afternoon features six events — an air-stick relay race, a pig-herding game and a ball-rolling contest among them. After the competition, a community gathering will be held, followed by awards ceremonies for each event and a prize draw.

The festival will not crown an overall champion. Instead, only the winner of each individual event will be recognized, allowing all participants to take part without pressure.

The district will station more than 45 safety and operations personnel on site to prioritize participant safety. Emergency medical staff and an ambulance will remain on standby throughout the event, and the district has also taken out liability insurance to help prevent accidents.

Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said he hopes the festival will serve as "a place of communication and harmony where residents can laugh and have fun with their neighbors along the Han River in autumn, relieving the stress of everyday life."