Sun Never Sets on Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival as Day-Night Crowds Keep Coming
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
The 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo (mountain trout) Ice Festival entered its second week with continuous crowds day and night. Since opening on Jan. 10, about 574,000 visitors attended through Jan. 17. Mild cold weather has encouraged visitors to try daytime ice fishing and popular night programs. Weekend night attractions — including the Seondeung Street (lantern street) Festival with DJs, magic shows and lantern displays, plus a unique night-fishing session — drew large evening crowds. Night fishing operates from 7 PM after daytime sites close, serving roughly 300 people on weekdays and 1,000 on weekends; by Jan. 17, 3,623 night-fishing admissions were recorded, and over 60% of those used local lodging and submitted receipts to qualify for free night-fishing entry. Officials say the night events boost overnight stays and local spending, and have added heating devices, patrols and traffic controls to ensure safety. The mayor called the festival a “huge winter playground” offering different experiences by day and night.
