Gilpost · Festival calendar · Yecheon-gun

FestivalAutumn 2026

Yecheon Archery Festival

예천활축제

This edition 2026-10-30 – 2026-11-01 · Data as of 2026-10-21 · Published 2026-10-21 · Compiled by gilpost

Yecheon Archery Festival is a hands-on bow festival in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang, a county that calls itself Korea's home of archery. The 9th edition runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 at Hancheon Sports Park, 10:00–21:00. The official listing gives entry as free. We read visitor blogs from earlier years and picked 5 posts from the 2025 festival.

2026 예천활축제 (2).jpg — Photos: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type3). Shown uncropped, as supplied.

What's on

Programme groups as listed in the official tourism data (updated 13 Oct 2026, checked 21 Oct 2026). For times by day, see the timetable on the festival website.

Hancheon Sports Park

Hands-on activitiesWalk-in

Fri 30 Oct – Sun 1 Nov · 10:00–21:00 (festival hours)

Archery taster sessions, archery for toddlers, children's play zone, event shooting

Team archery battleBooking

Teams face off with bows; participants were recruited in advance on the festival website.

ShowsWalk-in

Concerts, Black Eagles air display, Korean traditional music festival, national dance contest, children's shows. See the timetable for times.

Displays and stallsWalk-in

Fri 30 Oct – Sun 1 Nov · 10:00–21:00 (festival hours)

Bow-making demonstrations, food stalls, food trucks, local market

Linked eventsWalk-inPartner programme

Yecheon farm produce festival; North Gyeongsang lifelong learning fair

Sources: Korea Tourism Organization festival data; Yecheon Culture & Tourism Foundation festival website

The essentials

Dates	2026-10-30 – 2026-11-01
Where	Hancheon Sports Park, Yecheon-eup, Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang (남본리 310-1)
Cost	Free entry (official listing). Charges for individual activities and food not announced.
Organisers	Yecheon County and Yecheon Culture & Tourism Foundation (tel. 054-650-6045, Korean)
Address	경북 예천군 예천읍 남본리 310-1
Contact	054-650-6045 · yctf.kr/festivals/ywaf2026
Programme	Archery taster sessions (Korean, Western and field archery), team archery battle, children's play zone, shows including the Black Eagles air display, food stalls, linked farmers' market

Official poster

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

What 5 visitors said

Each year we searched blog posts about the festival and kept only first-hand visits with useful detail. In 2023 we read 2 posts with no visits; in 2024 (held in May) we read 12, found 1 visit and picked none. For 2025 we read 30, found 8 visits and picked 5. These describe past years; where they differ from this year's announcements, the announcements win.

What people liked

Cheap local produce4 of 5 posts

Several visitors bought farm produce cheaply at the linked farmers' market. 25-22 25-23 25-25 25-30

Scarecrow and produce displays impress3 of 5 posts

Visitors praised the scarecrow art and the prize-produce displays. 25-22 25-25 25-29

Bow hall and bow-making demonstrations2 of 5 posts

Visitors toured a hall with traditional bow-making, bows from many countries and an Olympic gold medal display. 25-22 25-25

Archery ranges3 of 5 posts

Several ranges with animal and flying targets; those who shot Western and Korean bows enjoyed it. 25-22 25-25 25-30

Plenty for children2 of 5 posts

Bouncy castles and a play zone made it look good for families with children. 25-22 25-25

Lots of free tastings3 of 5 posts

Visitors tried many local food samples and a local soju. 25-22 25-23 25-25

Parking easier than expected2 of 5 posts

Spaces were available early in the morning and on the Friday, though the main lot is small. 25-23 25-25

What people struggled with

Who goes, and when

Of the 5 posts we picked, 3 went with family or a group: one with a daughter, one with a mother, and one with a spouse on a rural-resettlement training trip.

Who they went with

2 of the 5 posts did not say.

Time of day

3 of the 5 posts did not say.

Visiting from abroad

None of the posts mentioned foreign visitors or English help, and the official materials list no English information or interpreting. Entry is free and no advance booking is announced for general activities; the team archery battle (활공성전) recruited participants in advance via the website.

Weather and crowds

Last year's visitors found it properly chilly, including a clear but cold morning after overnight rain. One person who arrived early on Saturday found only stallholders and free parking; a Friday visitor said parking was easier than expected. We could not confirm this year's crowds, so early morning is the safer bet. Check the forecast before you go and bring a warm layer.

Getting there and access

Visitors who drove last year parked at the festival car park or near the Gaesimsa temple-site pagoda, then crossed a bridge over the Hancheon stream to get in. One advised parking near Yecheon-eup's permanent market, as the main car park is small. We could not confirm public transport, shuttle buses or road closures for 2026; the festival website has a Directions (오시는길) page. If you take a taxi, show the driver the Korean place name below.

No post covered wheelchair or pushchair access or accessible toilets, and the official materials say nothing either. Visitors only noted a rest area on the way to the car park and large tables in the food court. If you need step-free access, call 054-650-6045 beforehand (Korean-language line).

Year by year

Autumn 2025

The 8th edition ran from 31 October to 2 November 2025 at Hancheon Sports Park. Visitors mentioned the linked farmers' market, a royal procession, Halloween bouncy castles and a haunted house, a morning walking event with prize draws, and a Paris Olympics gold medal display.

Tips from people who went

Park near Yecheon-eup's permanent market and walk; the main car park is small.
Buy bargain produce early; sweet potatoes sold out last year.
Bring a warm layer; it was cold last year.
Early mornings were quiet with free parking.
Tent food stalls were rated better value than the food trucks.

The 5 posts we read

25-22 · 2025-10-31 가을축제 갈만한곳 2025년 예천활축제- 기간 장소 주차 일정 행사내....
25-23 · 2025-11-01 2025 예천 농산물축제 + 활축제 토요일 아침방문
25-25 · 2025-11-01 경북 11월 축제 예천 가볼만한곳 - 예천활축제 농산물축제 볼거리 먹....
25-29 · 2025-11-02 예천 농산물 축제장에서 본 우수 농산물 농부들이 만들어 놓은 예술....
25-30 · 2025-11-02 경북 예천 귀농,귀촌 연수 여행2

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