The festival at Unjeong Central Park brought together local merchants and residents through Paju's regional currency, Pajupay, combining product exhibitions, family activities and live performances.
A community festival connecting local commerce and cultural content through a regional currency drew residents and small-business owners together in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The event gave local producers a platform to showcase their goods while residents explored hands-on activities and performances that highlighted the value of the local economy.
Paju city said the 2026 Pajupay Festa, held Saturday at Unjeong Central Park, concluded successfully with strong participation from local businesses and residents.
The festival was organized to raise awareness of Pajupay, the city's regional currency, and to foster greater exchange between local small-business owners and the public. Rather than a straightforward promotional event, the city designed it to blend product exhibitions, family activities and cultural performances so that residents could engage naturally with local commerce in an everyday setting.
Running from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the event featured a range of exhibition and sales zones reflecting the diverse industries and cultural character of the region.
The venue was divided into dedicated zones for small manufacturers, handicrafts, social enterprises, agricultural produce, bakeries and bookshops. Participants included Paju Jangdan Bean Wellbeing Maru local food producers, the DMZ Cooperative, and a variety of local bakeries, craft studios and independent bookshops, each presenting distinctive products and content.
The festival brought together not only local produce and food but also handcrafted goods, everyday household items and publishing content under one roof, showcasing the breadth of Paju's industries. Residents could browse products from local businesses and speak directly with the producers behind them.
Programs for families with children also drew attention. A dedicated children's zone and an animal-encounter zone were set up alongside performances including magic shows, comedy acts and bubble shows.
Food stalls and rest areas were spread throughout the venue so visitors could move comfortably between product exhibitions, activity programs and cultural performances. The addition of family-friendly programming to what was essentially an economic event broadened the appeal and drew a wider range of visitors.
An official opening ceremony took place at 3 p.m., followed at 6 p.m. by a celebratory concert featuring singers Lim Chang-jung and Gyeongseo. The festival, which centered on local products and hands-on experiences during the day, closed with the evening music performance.
A feedback program was also run to gather public opinion. Visitors could scan a QR code printed in the event leaflet to complete a mobile satisfaction survey, with the first respondents receiving an eco bag or keycap as a gift. Responses collected on the day will be used to improve future events and programming.
In addition, staff on site explained the purpose of Pajupay and demonstrated how to use the Gyeonggi regional currency mobile application, giving residents the information they need to incorporate the local currency into their daily spending.
Pajupay is a card-based regional currency issued by Paju city to stimulate spending within the local area and strengthen the competitiveness of small businesses and traditional markets. Its aim is to keep money circulating within the local economy, creating a virtuous cycle that benefits the broader community.
The festa was notable for expanding the city's regional currency policy into a cultural event that residents could experience firsthand. It gave local businesses a chance to promote their products and brands while offering residents a window into the diverse goods and cultural content produced in the area.
By combining cultural and experiential elements with an economic drive to revitalize local commerce, the event demonstrated that a regional currency can serve as more than a simple payment tool — it can act as a connector among members of the local community.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
