▸ GilpostWhere to go in Korea — researched, counted, sourced

Gilpost · Festival calendar · Iksan-si

FestivalAutumn 2026

Iksan Chrysanthemum Festival

익산 천만송이 국화축제

This edition · Data as of · Published · Compiled by

For ten days each autumn Iksan's Jungang Sports Park is filled with some 600 chrysanthemum sculptures and 60,000 pots of autumn flowers: castle gates, phoenixes and Baekje-era stone pagodas built entirely of blooms, an indoor bonsai hall, and lights and a music fountain in the evening. The 2026 festival (the 23rd) runs 23 October–1 November, and entry and parking are free. We read Korean blog posts from people who went in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Iksan Chrysanthemum Festival
2026 익산천만송이 국화축제 (1).jpg2026 익산천만송이 국화축제 (3).jpg2026 익산천만송이 국화축제 (10).jpg2026 익산천만송이 국화축제 (6).jpg2026 익산천만송이 국화축제 (5).jpg2026 익산천만송이 국화축제 (8).jpg
Photos: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type3). Shown uncropped, as supplied.

What’s on

From the 2026 official site (checked 4 October). Hands-on activities run daily 10:00–21:00; prices for the paid ones and how to sign up are not out yet.

Jungang Sports Park

Chrysanthemum sculptures and flower displaysWalk-in₩0 Free
23 Oct–1 Nov · 10:00–21:00
About 600 flower sculptures, 60,000 pots of autumn flowers and 100 light installations.
Chrysanthemum bonsai hallWalk-in₩0 Free
23 Oct–1 Nov
Some 200 chrysanthemum bonsai and new varieties.
Eight free activitiesWalk-in₩0 Free
23 Oct–1 Nov · 10:00–21:00
Bead bracelets, Baekje crowns, balsam nail dyeing, mother-of-pearl jewel boxes and more.
Eight paid activitiesWalk-inPrices not yet published
23 Oct–1 Nov · 10:00–21:00
Pressed-flower craft, mood lamps, insects, slime and more.
Mobile stamp tourWalk-inFree
23 Oct–1 Nov
Complete missions round the site and Sinheung Park for a prize draw; 400–500 places a day.
Opening ceremonyWalk-inFree
23 Oct · 19:00–21:00
Main stage.
FireworksWalk-inFree
31 Oct · 21:00
After the evening concert (from 19:00).
Closing ceremonyWalk-inFree
1 Nov · 17:00
After the chrysanthemum singing contest final (13:00).

Sources: the festival's official website (exhibits, activities, stage schedule) and the Korea Tourism Organization listing (entry fee, hours).

The essentials

Dates2026-10-23 – 2026-11-01
WhereJungang Sports Park, 322 Hanaro, Iksan, North Jeolla
CostFree entry and parking · some hands-on activities paid (prices not yet published)
OrganisersIksan City · Iksan Agricultural Technology Center (+82 63-859-4977)
Address전북특별자치도 익산시 하나로 322 (어양동)
Contact063-859-4977 · www.iksan.go.kr/gukhwa
ProgrammeFlower sculptures and bonsai, 16 hands-on activities, daily stage shows, fireworks on 31 October — see “What’s on” below.

Official poster

2026 익산천만송이 국화축제 포스터.jpg

The organisers’ own poster, in Korean. Source: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type3), shown unaltered. Tap to open full size.

What 30 visitors said

We searched Naver, the blog platform most Koreans use, for posts written during each festival and the month after (30 a year), read every one to the end, kept only people who went (18, 20 and 11), and took ten per year. Sponsored posts were dropped and no writer is counted twice. Every number counts the posts that mentioned something.

What people liked

Huge chrysanthemum sculptures to photograph14 of 30 posts

Gates, phoenixes and pagodas built of flowers; photo spots everywhere 23-04 23-07 23-08 23-10 23-24 24-12 24-14 24-28 25-09 25-11 25-15 25-22 25-26 25-28

Fairly priced festival food8 of 30 posts

Ten chrysanthemum cakes for ₩4,000; fixed prices in 2025 24-02 24-09 24-26 25-12 25-18 25-21 25-22 25-26

Pretty after dark6 of 30 posts

Lit sculptures, a music fountain, fireworks 23-04 24-02 24-14 24-23 25-21 25-22

Take home a bunch for ₩4,0008 of 30 posts

Cut chrysanthemums and pots, local produce to taste and buy 23-08 23-15 23-26 24-01 24-02 24-04 24-14 25-29

A strong bonsai and new-variety hall5 of 30 posts

Indoor chrysanthemum bonsai and new varieties 23-05 23-07 24-27 25-11 25-29

Dogs welcome4 of 30 posts

People walked their dogs round the grounds 23-05 24-28 25-09 25-29

What people struggled with

Flowers not fully out early on15 of 30 posts

Nine of the ten 2024 posts said so 23-04 23-05 23-07 23-10 24-01 24-02 24-04 24-09 24-12 24-23 24-26 24-27 24-28 25-26 25-29

Parking is hard10 of 30 posts

Near car parks fill early; people ended up on the roadside or far away 23-04 23-10 23-15 23-24 24-14 24-26 24-28 25-09 25-15 25-29

Weekend crowds9 of 30 posts

Queues for photo spots and seats in the food hall 23-10 23-15 23-20 24-12 24-26 24-28 25-18 25-21 25-26

Much the same every year5 of 30 posts

Several regulars felt little had changed 23-04 24-28 25-15 25-28 25-29

These are raw counts, not percentages. Someone who did not mention something is not someone who disagreed.

Who goes, and when

Mostly families — with small children or with grandparents — plus coach parties. Twenty-three of the 30 posts call it crowded, and weekend afternoons and evenings are the busiest. Weekdays were not empty either, but people who came early (8–10am) had the place almost to themselves.

Who they went with

With friends3 of 30 posts
With children7 of 30 posts
With parents or adult family4 of 30 posts
As a couple2 of 30 posts
Alone2 of 30 posts

12 of the 30 posts did not say.

Time of day

Evening4 of 30 posts
Night1 of 30 posts
Day into night4 of 30 posts
Afternoon8 of 30 posts
Morning5 of 30 posts

8 of the 30 posts did not say.

Visiting from abroad

Only one post noticed other foreign visitors, and the official site is in Korean only — but it is an easy, walk-around-and-look festival that needs no Korean. Flower sellers took cash or bank transfer in 2023–24 (card was accepted in 2025), so carry some cash. Dogs are welcome. Iksan makes an easy day trip by KTX; several visitors combined it with the Jewelry Museum or a bakery run in town.

Weather and crowds

Late October: hot sun in the day, quickly chilly after dark — evening visitors say bring a jacket. Bloom varies a lot. In 2024, which opened on 18 October, nine of the ten posts said the chrysanthemums weren't fully out; in 2025, opening on 24 October, more posts said they were at or near full bloom than not. The later in the run you go, the more flowers you'll see.

Getting there and access

Most people drove, and parking was the biggest complaint. There are ten official temporary car parks (nos. 9 and 10 at weekends only); posts found space at the arts centre, in front of the Iksan Cultural Centre and in lots 8–10. Several took a taxi to skip the parking (₩6,200 from the Lotte Mart in town, 2023). By train: KTX from Seoul's Yongsan to Iksan takes about 1h20, then city bus 2200, 2300 or 2400 to Ssangyong Apartment stop.

The grounds are flat and easy with a wheelchair or pushchair, and the park office lends wheelchairs and pushchairs (in 2024 wheelchairs were also lent at the north gate). There was disabled parking by the entrance. Toilets are spread around the site, including women's toilets with a nursing room; the Cultural Centre toilets were quieter, and one 2023 post complained of smells.

Year by year

Autumn 2023

20–29 October (20th). Flowers were barely open on opening day and about 30% out on the first weekend. A 20th-anniversary cake sculpture and the pink muhly across the road at Sinheung Park were favourites.

Autumn 2024

18–27 October (21st). Heavy rain beforehand flattened the cosmos and most chrysanthemums were still in bud; the new Kkotbaram garden path was in full bloom, and there were weekend fireworks.

Autumn 2025

Opened 24 October, ran to 2 November (22nd). A good year for blooms. A new footbridge to Sinheung Park and a children's net playground were added, and the food hall ran on fixed prices with a hotline for overcharging.

Tips from people who went

  • Flowers by day, lights by night — arrive late afternoon to see both
  • For space, go on a weekday or 8–10am
  • Shoot the entrance photo spot first, before it queues
  • Weekend evenings: car parks 8–10, or by the arts centre or Cultural Centre
  • Carry cash for flower stalls
  • There was free printing of phone photos (drop off first, collect later)
  • Bring a jacket for the evening

The 30 posts we read

  1. 23-04 · 2023-10-21 2023년 20회 익산천만송이국화축제 프로그램 먹거리 주차장 정보 야....
  2. 23-05 · 2023-10-21 2023 제20회 익산 천만송이 국화축제 (애견동반) 후기
  3. 23-07 · 2023-10-21 [전북 익산 축제/행사] 제 20회 익산 천만송이 국화축제(~10/29) + 개화 ....
  4. 23-08 · 2023-10-23 익산 아이랑 갈만한곳 ! ' 천만송이 국화축제' 공연 주차장 행사 부....
  5. 23-10 · 2023-10-23 익산 신흥근린공원 핑크뮬리 중앙체육공원 천만송이 국화축제 볼거....
  6. 23-15 · 2023-10-24 익산천만송이국화축제 주차장 먹거리 중앙체육공원 익산 가볼만한....
  7. 23-20 · 2023-10-26 전북 익산 천만송이 국화 축제 기본정보 주차 생생 후기 볼거리 당....
  8. 23-24 · 2023-10-29 제 20회 익산 천만송이국화축제 익산중앙체육공원
  9. 23-26 · 2023-10-30 익산 천만송이 국화 축제 - 제 20회 - 후기 소감
  10. 23-30 · 2023-10-30 익산 천만송이국화축제_가까이에서 즐길 수 있어 감사!
  11. 24-01 · 2024-10-20 24년 10월의 일상 일기(3) (feat. 익산 천만송이 국화 축제)
  12. 24-02 · 2024-10-20 익산 '2024 천만송이 국화축제'(제 21회) 후기
  13. 24-04 · 2024-10-20 2024 전북익산 천만송이 국화축제 먹거리, 흐린날 방문 후기
  14. 24-09 · 2024-10-21 2024 익산 천만송이 국화축제, 익산국화축제, 2024국화축제 후기, 먹거....
  15. 24-12 · 2024-10-22 아기랑 익산 가볼만한곳 , 천만송이 국화축제 다녀왔어요!
  16. 24-14 · 2024-10-23 ［전북 익산］10월 여행 2024 익산천만송이국화축제 꽃향기 가득한 ....
  17. 24-23 · 2024-10-26 익산 천만송이 국화꽃축제 10/25 개화상태 주차 먹거리 야경 핑크뮬....
  18. 24-26 · 2024-10-26 익산 “2024 천만송이 국화축제“
  19. 24-27 · 2024-10-27 전북 익산 천만송이 국화축제 후기[만개는 아직](1)
  20. 24-28 · 2024-10-27 익산 천만송이 국화축제장 탐방
  21. 25-09 · 2025-10-24 익산 천만송이 국화축제 2025 주차장 먹거리 애견동반 전북 당일치기....
  22. 25-11 · 2025-10-25 제22회 익산 천만송이 국화축제 감상 후기
  23. 25-12 · 2025-10-25 25년 익산 천만송이국화축제 먹거리, 이벤트,이리몬고경품 종류 후....
  24. 25-15 · 2025-10-26 익산 천만 송이 국화축제 2025년 정보 및 실시간 다녀온 후기
  25. 25-18 · 2025-10-27 익산 당일치기 여행 코스 익산국화축제 풍성제과 & 하나로마트 생크....
  26. 25-21 · 2025-10-28 익산 천만송이국화축제
  27. 25-22 · 2025-10-28 익산 천만송이국화축제 일정 먹거리 주차장 후기
  28. 25-26 · 2025-10-29 전북 익산 가볼만한곳 천만송이 국화축제 볼거리 놀거리 핑크뮬리
  29. 25-28 · 2025-10-30 익산 천만송이 국화축제 주차부터 포토존까지 완벽한 가을 나들이 ....
  30. 25-29 · 2025-10-31 익산천만송이국화축제 다녀온 후기

All posts are in Korean. We summarise them in our own words rather than quoting.