Gangwon Winter Festivals Ready as Ice Thickens; Some Events Delayed or Canceled
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Major winter festivals in Gangwon Province are preparing to welcome visitors as cold snaps have stabilized ice conditions. The 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival (ice fishing for mountain trout) will run Jan. 10–Feb. 1 with attractions like ice fishing, bare‑hand fish catching, snow sculpture displays, and ice soccer; ice thickness at the site exceeds 20 cm. The Hongcheon River Frozen Festival opens Jan. 9 with outdoor and indoor fishing areas and family activities, and Pyeongchang’s trout festival was postponed one week to join the Jan. 9 opening due to slower ice formation at Odaecheon. The longtime Inje icefish festival is likely canceled again because of insufficient ice. Organizers say safety is the top priority as final preparations continue, including ice sculpting, booth setup, and drilling fishing holes before opening day.
