Gwangju and Chungjang Festival of Memories

One festival you should put on your calendar for this autumn is the Chungjang Festival. Every October since 2004, Gwangju Dong-gu hosts this street festival that celebrates the playfulness and sense of liberation through deviation, and a sense of community unity. The Chungjang Festival has various programs for all generations, such as parades, streets and places of memories, and art performances. The Chungjang Parade, the biggest attraction of the festival, includes contest parades, movie concept parades, and Asian national parades. Citizens from the thirteen districts of Gwangju Dong-gu also participate, each with their own intriguing theme. The festival is a reflection of Gwangju’s role as a hub of Asian culture.

The streets and places of memories at the festival offer the opportunity for young and old to travel back to Chungjang street as it appeared in the 1970s and 2000s. Visitors are encouraged to wear blue jeans, sunglasses, or old school uniforms as they enjoy retro experiences such as drinking coffee at an old style café and taking black-and-white photos at a traditional studio.

Gwangju (광주) is one of the largest cities in Korea. Located in the southwest part of South Korea, the city is well known for the May 18, 1980 Democratic uprising, which was a mass protest against the then-military government. The city is often considered the birthplace of Korean democracy, and is recognized as a city of democracy, human rights, and peace.

The culturally rich city abounds with art in museums, exhibitions and festivals such as the Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju Design Biennale, Gwangju Kimchi Festival, Im Bangul Korean Traditional Music Festival, and Gwangju Jeong Yul-seong International Music Festival.

Whether you come for the parades, the retro vibe, the vibrant art scene, or the DJ shows and local band performances, Chungjang Festival is a special opportunity to celebrate Asian culture.