The Seoul city government announced on the 21st that it will hold the 'Han River Festival Summer' from July 26 to August 24 in the waters of the Han River and around 10 Han River parks.
The Han River Festival Summer is an event composed of various programs for summer, including water play, cultural performances, and water leisure activities. This year, 18 programs will be held under the theme of cost-effective refreshing summer vacation.
Considering the early onset of heat waves and the hot weather this year, the city has scheduled the festival to last 30 days, longer than usual. Last year, it was held for 17 days from July 26 to August 11.
This year, cultural and leisure programs will be held at the Han River view infinity pool and Nanji Water Park alongside water activities.
First, movies will be screened at Han River Cinema Pondang at 7:30 p.m. on the 26th and 27th. Han River Cinema Pondang is an aquatic cinema where viewers enjoy films while floating on tubes. 'Sunny' (rated for ages 15 and up) will be screened on the 26th, and 'Welcome to Dongmakgol' (rated for ages 12 and up) will be screened on the 27th.
Also, on July 31 and August 1, the 'Log Rolling' competition, called Rolling in the Han River, will take place, where participants compete to see who can stay on a floating log the longest. The event will take place five times a day, and the winner of each round will receive two tickets for the e-Cruise (Han River tour cruise).
Additionally, on August 9 and 10, the Han River Music Pondang, a water music appreciation venue, is scheduled. On the 9th, the 'Moon Jazz Band' and 'MC Lee Band' will perform, while 'Bookmark' and 'Thumbs Up Duo' will take the stage on the 10th.
All programs can be accessed for a fee ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 won. Admission is available on-site without prior reservation. The Han River park swimming pools and water parks will operate until August 31. All except Yanghwa Water Park can be used until 10 p.m.
In addition, various programs will be held during the festival period, including a water picnic at Mangwon Seoul Han Park on August 9 and the Han River Bus Splash at Yeouido Water Stage from August 2 to 23. The water picnic will feature water slides, a children's pool, and air bounces. The Han River Bus Splash is an event combining water gun play and performances. It will be held every Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Water guns, face protection equipment, raincoats, and towels are available for rent on-site.
Details related to this year's event can be found on the official festival website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Park Jin-Young, head of the Future Han River Headquarters of Seoul, said, "We will allow citizens to feel the greatest emotion at a low cost in the nearby Han River."