The Gangneung Danoje Festival is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a representative traditional festival of Korea with a thousand-year history, attracting over 500,000 tourists annually. It is a comprehensive festival featuring traditional rituals, the essence of traditional culture, shamanistic rituals for communication between gods and humans, and the largest traditional market nationwide.
The 2026 Gangneung Danoje Festival will be held for 8 days from June 15 to June 22, under the theme of 'Unwinding'. This theme emphasizes the intrinsic value of letting go of daily worries and misfortunes, allowing hearts and relationships to naturally unfold, and aims to widely promote the community spirit and healing meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival both domestically and internationally.
The Gangneung Danoje Festival takes place throughout Gangneung City, including the Namdaecheon Event Area and the Gangneung Danoje Jeonsu Education Center (1 Danojang-gil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province). Admission is free.
The Gangneung Danoje Festival offers a total of 71 diverse programs across 13 categories, including nationally designated cultural heritage events, citizen participation programs, and folk games. Key programs include Designated Cultural Heritage Events (sacred liquor brewing, Daegwallyeong Mountain God ritual, Dano shamanic ritual, Gwanno mask play, etc.), Traditional Performing Arts Festival, Stage Performing Arts Festival, International Invited Performances (Kurayoshi of Japan, Jingzhou City and Jiaxing City of China, Indang City of the Philippines, Thailand, Children's Kingdom of Mongolia), Competition Festival (Nongak competition, Gangneung dialect competition, etc.), Youth Harmony Festival, Dano Experience Village (sacred liquor, surichwitteok tasting, iris hair washing, etc.), Citizen Participation Festival, Exhibitions (Gangneung Danoje Theme Pavilion, Memories of Dano), Gangneung Cultural Heritage Exhibition, Folk Games Events (Ssireum competition, swing jumping competition, tug-of-war competition, etc.), Celebratory Cultural and Arts Events, and Side Events (fireworks display, Dano Iris Water Festival, etc.).
The Gangneung Danoje Festival is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a representative traditional festival of Korea with a thousand-year history, attracting over 500,000 tourists annually. The 2026 Gangneung Danoje Festival, under the theme of 'Unwinding,' will be held for 8 days from June 15 to June 22 in the Gangneung city area. The Gangneung Danoje Festival is a comprehensive festival where traditional rituals, the essence of traditional culture, shamanistic rituals for communication between gods and humans, and the largest traditional market nationwide are harmoniously combined. A total of 71 diverse programs in 13 categories, including nationally designated cultural heritage events, citizen participation programs, and folk games, will be operated. This year, under the theme of 'Unwinding,' the festival emphasizes the intrinsic value of letting go of daily worries and misfortunes, allowing hearts and relationships to naturally unfold. The plan is to widely promote the community spirit and healing meaning of the Gangneung Danoje Festival both domestically and internationally.
1. Designated Cultural Heritage Events - Sacred Liquor Brewing - Daegwallyeong Mountain God Ritual - Daegwallyeong National General's Shrine Ritual - Gusan Shrine Ritual - Haksan Shrine Ritual - Enshrinement Ritual - Welcoming Gods Ritual - Welcoming Gods Procession - Morning Offering Ritual - Dano Shamanic Ritual - Gwanno Mask Play - Sending Off Gods Ritual & Burning of Ritual Objects 2. Traditional Performing Arts Festival - National Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance - Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance - Local Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance - Traditional Wedding 3. Stage Performing Arts Festival - Stage Performing Arts Events - Invited Performances by Domestic Arts Troupes - Invited Performances by Domestic Exchange Troupes 4. International Invited Performances - Kurayoshi, Japan - Jingzhou City, Jiaxing City, China - Indang City, Philippines - Thailand - Children's Kingdom, Mongolia 5. Competition Festival - Nongak Competition - Gangneung Dialect Competition - National Folk Song Contest - National Korean Dance Competition - National Sijo Recitation Contest for Men and Women 6. Youth Harmony Festival - Youth Singing Contest - Youth Dance Festival - Youth Dano Festival D.Y.F - Dano Class 7. Dano Experience Village - Sacred Liquor - Surichwitteok Tasting (Royal Mugwort Rice Cake Tasting) - Iris Hair Washing - Making Gwanno Mother-of-Pearl Keyrings - Dano Fan Painting - Trying on Dano Clothing - Dano Dressing Up - Traditional Tea Tasting - Dano Badge Making - Dano Coloring Postcard Making - Sacred Liquor Exchange 8. Citizen Participation Festival - Sacred Rice Offering Ceremony - Dano Lantern Event - Gangneung City Residents' Self-Governance Festival 9. Exhibitions - Gangneung Danoje Theme Pavilion - Memories of Dano 10. Gangneung Cultural Heritage Exhibition - Bangjja Spoon and Chopsticks - Buddhist Wood Carving - Traditional Embroidery 11. Folk Games Events - Ssireum Competition (Korean Wrestling) - Swing Jumping Competition - Arrow-throwing Competition - Tug-of-War Competition - Yutnori Competition (Traditional Board Game) 12. Celebratory Cultural and Arts Events - Korea Changpoju (Iris Wine) Selection Contest - Student Art Competition - National Literary Contest - Jeil High School & Jungang High School Regular Football Match - Flag Photography Exhibition 13. Side Events - Azalea Challenge - Dano Iris Water Festival - Prize Draw Event - Fireworks Display - Welcome Shop Operation & Welcome Stamp Rally - World Cup Match Broadcast - Familiarization Tour - AR-based App Development - Dano Photo Challenge
1. Designated Cultural Heritage Events - Sacred Liquor Brewing - Daegwallyeong Mountain God Ritual - Daegwallyeong National General's Shrine Ritual - Gusan Shrine Ritual - Haksan Shrine Ritual - Enshrinement Ritual - Welcoming Gods Ritual - Welcoming Gods Procession - Morning Offering Ritual - Dano Shamanic Ritual - Gwanno Mask Play - Sending Off Gods Ritual & Burning of Ritual Objects 2. Traditional Performing Arts Festival - National Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance - Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance - Local Intangible Cultural Heritage Performance - Traditional Wedding 3. Stage Performing Arts Festival - Stage Performing Arts Events - Invited Performances by Domestic Arts Troupes - Invited Performances by Domestic Exchange Troupes 4. International Invited Performances - Kurayoshi, Japan - Jingzhou City, Jiaxing City, China - Indang City, Philippines - Thailand - Children's Kingdom, Mongolia 5. Competition Festival - Nongak Competition - Gangneung Dialect Competition - National Folk Song Contest - National Korean Dance Competition - National Sijo Recitation Contest for Men and Women 6. Youth Harmony Festival - Youth Singing Contest - Youth Dance Festival - Youth Dano Festival D.Y.F - Dano Class 7. Dano Experience Village - Sacred Liquor - Surichwitteok Tasting (Royal Mugwort Rice Cake Tasting) - Iris Hair Washing - Making Gwanno Mother-of-Pearl Keyrings - Dano Fan Painting - Trying on Dano Clothing - Dano Dressing Up - Traditional Tea Tasting - Dano Badge Making - Dano Coloring Postcard Making - Sacred Liquor Exchange 8. Citizen Participation Festival - Sacred Rice Offering Ceremony - Dano Lantern Event - Gangneung City Residents' Self-Governance Festival 9. Exhibitions - Gangneung Danoje Theme Pavilion - Memories of Dano 10. Gangneung Cultural Heritage Exhibition - Bangjja Spoon and Chopsticks - Buddhist Wood Carving - Traditional Embroidery 11. Folk Games Events - Ssireum Competition (Korean Wrestling) - Swing Jumping Competition - Arrow-throwing Competition - Tug-of-War Competition - Yutnori Competition (Traditional Board Game) 12. Celebratory Cultural and Arts Events - Korea Changpoju (Iris Wine) Selection Contest - Student Art Competition - National Literary Contest - Jeil High School & Jungang High School Regular Football Match - Flag Photography Exhibition 13. Side Events - Azalea Challenge - Dano Iris Water Festival - Prize Draw Event - Fireworks Display - Welcome Shop Operation & Welcome Stamp Rally - World Cup Match Broadcast - Familiarization Tour - AR-based App Development - Dano Photo Challenge
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