The giant bamboo forest area makes Damyang, Korea's capital of bamboo. A bamboo festival reveals how much use this plant can bring us in our daily lives.
Activities
Festival guests can try their hand at traditional bamboo basket fishing, savor delectable dishes crafted from bamboo shoots, and indulge in Korean alcohol brewed in bamboo stalks. Everyone can get creative with bamboo drawing and other crafts or enjoy performances by local cultural artists and mesmerizing drone lighting shows. For the younger ones, there's the chance to showcase their talents in the Festival Youth Drawing Contest and the National Youth Talent Festival.
History
Since the early Goryeo Dynasty, the 13th day of the 5th lunar month has marked Jukchwiil or Juksulil, when villagers plant bamboo and celebrate with bamboo leaf liquor. Though the slash-and-burn tradition ended in the 1920s, efforts since 1999 have integrated events like Citizens' Day to promote bamboo cultivation and community unity. This led to the creation of a bamboo-themed festival in Damyang, aiming to boost the local economy and cultural heritage globally.
Location
The festival unfolds each year amidst the picturesque Juknokwon and Gwanbangjerim bamboo forests. Find the Festival Information Center conveniently situated at Damyang Sports Complex. Accessing the venue is a breeze, whether by train, express, direct, local buses, or personal vehicle. From major cities like Seoul, Busan, and Daegu, by car, the journey lasts about 3 hours, while it's just a short 30-minute drive from Gwangju.
