Travelogue from the Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival, Soaked in Winter Sunlight
Introduction
At the tail end of winter, when soft sunlight seeps through the cold air, the orange dried persimmons begin to glow even warmer. Thinking of the soon-to-open Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival, it feels as if the sweet scent of dried persimmons drifts through your mind on the cool breeze that flows along the stream.
Travelogue from the Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival, Soaked in Winter Sunlight
Table of Contents
- Guide
- Program Information
- Thoughts Before/After the Visit
- Where to Stay
- Restaurants & Cafés
- Nearby Attractions
- Getting There
- Closing
- Photo Snapshots
- Videos
- Related News
Guide
- Event Name : Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival
- Dates : 2026-01-30 ~ 2026-02-01
- Opening Hours : 10:00~18:00
- Venue : Hasang Parking Lot by Yeongdongcheon Stream, 867-1 Gyesan-ri, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
- Admission : Free (some hands-on programs require a fee)
- Host : Yeongdong-gun
- Organizer : Yeongdong-gun Culture & Tourism Foundation, Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Association
- Contact : 043-745-8922 (Yeongdong-gun)
- Representative Local Products : Yeongdong dried persimmons and forest/farm/specialty products
- 11:00 Arrive at the Hasang Parking Lot by Yeongdongcheon Stream and stroll around the dried persimmon and local specialty market, enjoying samples and shopping.
- 13:00 Head to the grilling zone for a simple lunch and snacks of roasted chestnuts, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled garaetteok rice cakes, and sausages.
- 14:00 Take part in dried persimmon–themed hands-on programs such as making dried persimmon desserts or dried persimmon gochujang (chili paste).
- 15:30 Spend time relaxing and playing as a family, focusing on the children’s playground, baby club, and kids’ performances.
- 16:30 Slowly browse the photo exhibition of Yeongdong’s attractions, the farm machinery exhibition, and the traditional market–linked sales booths.
- 17:30 Wrap up the day by watching stage programs such as the opening ceremony, celebratory performances or concert, and fireworks.
Some activities charge a fee during the festival, so it’s convenient to have cash or a simple payment method ready.
The Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival showcases, promotes, and sells dried persimmons produced in Yeongdong-gun alongside various forest, farm, and specialty products. It aims to widely promote the excellence of Yeongdong dried persimmons while revitalizing local farms and the regional economy. With a focus on family visitors, the festival offers winter play spaces and warm shelters, hands-on experiences such as roasting chestnuts, sweet potatoes, garaetteok, and sausages, a baby club using transparent domes, sales booths linked with the traditional market, and programs introducing Yeongdong’s gourmet spots.
The festival is free to enter and is designed as a stay-type event where visitors can linger, savoring both the sweet flavor of dried persimmons and the comforting warmth of winter foods. Throughout the venue spread out along Yeongdongcheon Stream, the seasonal atmosphere and people’s warmth blend together, making it an ideal place to create small but lasting memories of a meaningful winter trip.
Program Information
This marketplace features Yeongdong dried persimmons along with a wide variety of forest, farm, and specialty products, all in one place. You can talk directly with producers and make purchases, taking your time to choose dried persimmons that suit your taste through sampling and consultation.
Stage programs include the opening ceremony and celebratory performance to kick off the festival, a concert on the second day, and performances on the final day. You can fully soak up the festive atmosphere while enjoying music in the crisp winter evening air.
Children’s performances and a baby club set inside transparent domes provide a safe space for kids to run and play. Parents can relax for a while in a warm rest area, listening to the sound of their children’s laughter.
In the grilling zone, you can grill and enjoy winter treats such as chestnuts, sweet potatoes, garaetteok, and sausages. The warmth in your hands and the savory aroma make the festival atmosphere feel all the more cozy.
Hands-on programs include making dried persimmon desserts, dried persimmon tree cookies, dried persimmon cupcakes, and dried persimmon gochujang, offering unique ways to enjoy dried persimmons. The foods you make yourself become small keepsakes that help you remember your trip for a long time.
Smelt fishing and other winter food and activity experiences are prepared so you can enjoy unique winter play with children. Moving your body and laughing together in the cold air makes time fly by.
Near the festival grounds there is a children’s playground and air bounce area, so kids can play without getting bored throughout the festival. It’s a particularly popular space among family visitors.
A photo exhibition of Yeongdong’s scenic spots and a farm machinery exhibition offer a glimpse into local landscapes and farming culture. Sales booths linked to the traditional market and food trucks are also in operation, making it a pleasant place to slowly look around and experience everyday life in the region up close.
If you use the photo zones and dried persimmon installations set up around the venue, you can capture photos beautifully lit by winter sunlight. Consider setting aside some relaxed time just for taking pictures with family or friends.
The opening ceremony and fireworks on the first day tend to draw big crowds. Arrive early or move during the breaks between performances to enjoy the event more comfortably.
If you are visiting with family, it’s helpful to check in advance the schedule for children’s play facilities and activity programs. Grouping activities together while taking into account your child’s nap time and walking route will make the day feel much more relaxed.
The opening ceremony and fireworks can be crowded, so choose your spot before the performance begins to watch more comfortably.
If you’re with kids, find the locations of children’s activities and playgrounds first to make getting around easier.
Thoughts Before/After the Visit
Today is December 19, 2025, and we are just ahead of the Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival (2026-01-30 ~ 2026-02-01). Thinking of the upcoming festival makes my heart flutter, and I can almost smell the unique sweetness of dried persimmons in the winter air. In Yeongdong, preparations are in full swing for this year’s festival, focusing on supporting local farms and highlighting the authentic flavors of regional specialties. Last year, the scale of big performances was reduced and the event was centered on the marketplace, allowing visitors to concentrate more on the essential aroma and taste of dried persimmons and to feel the warmth of direct trade between farmers and consumers.
This year’s festival will feature dried persimmon sales booths along with spaces where visitors can directly experience making desserts, dried persimmon gochujang, and foods like roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts. The area around the Hasang Parking Lot by Yeongdongcheon Stream is being prepared as the venue, making it a pleasant place for a stroll hand in hand with parents, and prices are said to be relatively reasonable, offering a good chance to taste and pick out sweet dried persimmons yourself. When I imagine the sounds of bargaining and laughter, and the smell of roasting chestnuts drifting around the grounds, it feels as if my heart warms up in advance, even on a cold winter day.
I expect this festival to offer small moments of rest, like gentle winter sunlight, and to present scenes where the sound of knives slicing dried persimmons, people’s conversations, and the savory aromas rising from the experience zones all blend together. Even if the festival isn’t massive in scale, I think the warm words exchanged between people and the softness of a bite of dried persimmon will linger long in my memory. Quietly picturing the warmth and scenery I will soon encounter there, I am waiting patiently for the day to come.
Where to Stay
The Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival is close to the center of Yeongdong-eup, and there are accommodation options within a 10-minute drive. If you want to go back and forth between the festival and your lodgings at an easy pace, it’s best to look for places to stay in Yeongdong-eup.
159 Yeongdonghealing-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A clean, hotel-style accommodation near the center of Yeongdong-eup, offering easy car access to the festival grounds.
During the festival period, weekend rooms may book up early, so advance reservations are recommended.
Distance: 2.4km
If you’re driving, consider lodgings within a 10–15 minute walking distance, taking possible traffic congestion around the venue into account.
Restaurants & Cafés
In and around Yeongdong-eup near the festival grounds, you’ll find a good number of restaurants and cafés, making it easy to have a meal or enjoy a warm drink before or after your visit. For convenience, focus your search around Yeongdongcheon Stream and Yeongdong Station when planning your route.
5-23 Gyesan-ro 2-gil, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do (Gapdol Galbi)
A galbi (grilled ribs) restaurant where you can enjoy hearty hot meat dishes, perfect for a robust winter meal.
There may be a wait on weekend evenings, so visiting a bit earlier than standard dinner time is recommended.
Distance: 0.5km
1108 Nangye-ro, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A restaurant specializing in Korean beef (hanwoo), suitable for special occasions or family gatherings.
For a more relaxed visit, check in advance whether reservations are needed during dinner peak times.
Distance: 0.6km
18-49 Dongjeong-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A café ideal for enjoying warm coffee and desserts, perfect for a short break after the festival.
The seating area has a calm atmosphere, well suited to those looking for indoor relaxation in winter.
Distance: 1.1km
1039-20 Haksan Yeongdong-ro, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A restaurant where you can enjoy a meal surrounded by nature, also nice as a drive course stop.
It’s a good place to visit after the festival if you want to combine a quiet meal with some rest.
Distance: 2.1km
248 Yeongdonghealing-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A café located near the Rainbow Healing Tourist Site, perfect for a visit combined with a walk.
We recommend spending a leisurely afternoon here in connection with your visit to nearby attractions.
Distance: 2.2km
662 Yeongdonghwanggan-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A place where you can find Yeongdong wine products and browse regional specialties along with dried persimmons.
It’s best to check opening hours and whether experiences are available before visiting.
Distance: 5.1km
34-4 Oeman 1-gil, Yanggang-myeon, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A café where you can enjoy a cup of coffee while taking in wide-open natural scenery.
As it requires a drive, it’s good to include it as part of a driving route.
Distance: 6.9km
For cafés, consider visiting after the festival ends, when it’s quieter and you can better enjoy the atmosphere.
Nearby Attractions
Near the festival grounds you’ll find Yeongdong’s representative healing spots clustered together, such as the Rainbow Healing Tourist Site and the Wine Tunnel, making it easy to explore lightly. If you’re driving, we recommend adding one or two of these spots to your day’s itinerary for a manageable circuit.
Maecheon-ri, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A multi-purpose healing complex where you can enjoy walking and relaxing in nature.
Adding a light walk here before or after the festival lets you savor the winter landscape at a more leisurely pace.
Distance: 1.7km
30 Yeongdonghealing-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A unique attraction that repurposes an old railway tunnel, blending wine with atmospheric lighting.
As it’s indoors, it’s relatively warm even in winter.
Distance: 1.8km
241-42 Yeongdonghealing-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
An arboretum where you can see various plants and feel the vitality of greenery regardless of the season.
Stroll through both indoor and greenhouse areas to enjoy a warm walk even in winter.
Distance: 2.0km
95 Yeongdonghealing-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A facility themed around rest and healing, ideal for quietly staying and recharging.
Check opening hours and available programs before visiting to help plan your schedule.
Distance: 2.2km
Maecheon-ri, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A park themed around Yeongdong’s fruit culture, great for walks and photo opportunities.
As the scenery changes by season, try to capture the unique atmosphere of your visit period.
Distance: 2.3km
110 Yeongdonghealing-ro, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
An experiential and educational facility themed around forests and energy.
Check for days when programs are running to make your visit more rewarding.
Distance: 2.4km
26 Yakmok 2-gil, Simcheon-myeon, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A place where you can experience farm life and enjoy rural scenery up close.
As it takes some travel time by car, plan it as a relaxed half-day course.
Distance: 5.7km
756-1 Bonggok-ri, Yangsan-myeon, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
A scenic spot where valleys and oddly shaped rocks harmonize, offering different charms in each season.
In winter, check road conditions and wear non-slip footwear for greater safety.
Distance: 8.3km
For outdoor attractions in winter, it’s best to finish your visit before sunset.
Getting There
Public Transportation — The venue is the Hasang Parking Lot by Yeongdongcheon Stream at 867-1 Gyesan-ri, Yeongdong-eup, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. As public transportation connection information is not provided separately, we recommend checking with your local bus information center or tourist information center in advance for bus/train routes and transfer details to Yeongdong-eup.
By Car — Enter the center of Yeongdong-eup via nearby major roads, then follow the festival signboards toward the Hasang Parking Lot by Yeongdongcheon Stream. During the festival, the parking lot may be crowded at certain times, so arriving a bit early or considering nearby public parking lots will make access easier.
For navigation, set your destination to “Yeongdongcheon Hasang Parking Lot” for convenience.
Closing
The Yeongdong Dried Persimmon Festival, bathed in winter sunlight, unfolds along Yeongdongcheon Stream in a modest space where the sweet scent of dried persimmons and people’s warmth naturally intermingle. It is a festival where you can slowly walk with your family, taste dried persimmons and forest/farm/specialty products, and warm both body and soul through winter foods and hands-on programs.
Rather than dazzling with grand scale, this is a time when the authenticity of the region and the quiet efforts of local farmers are conveyed as they are. This winter, it might be nice to step away from your daily routine for a short winter trip to Yeongdong. The sunlight, wind, and care that go into each piece of dried persimmon will remain as a gentle afterglow for a long time.
