Travel
24th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival ends, but viewing continues until Nov. 10
haps Magazine Korea
November 5, 2024
(Changwon Special City)
The 24th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival, held from October 26 to November 3 in Changwon, concluded with great success, drawing a record-breaking 756,000 visitors.
Although the official festival has ended, Changwon Special City announced that the chrysanthemum displays will remain accessible for a self-guided viewing period from November 4 to November 10, allowing more visitors to enjoy the blooms in their full glory.
While the extended viewing period will not include performances or experiential programs, safety management will continue on-site to ensure a pleasant experience.
Themed “Chrysanthemum Love Songs Calling from the Sea,” this year’s festival showcased a variety of chrysanthemum displays and nighttime illuminations, which provided visitors with a serene escape from daily life.
The festival expanded across 2 kilometers from 3.15 Marine Nuri Park to Happo Waterside Park. A specially lit Chrysanthemum Wish Road connected the sites, offering visitors a magical nighttime experience.
Highlights included 230 chrysanthemum installations featuring over 120 million blooms.
Standout attractions were the 7-meter rotating chrysanthemum tree made from 1,080 pots and a remarkable multi-layered work with 1,535 blooms, both capturing visitor attention and admiration.
The festival layout was carefully organized with booths arranged in one direction, clear signage, and areas designated for activities, exhibitions, and sales. Reflecting visitor feedback from last year, the festival also introduced resting shelters, a feeding café, and conveniently located trash bins to ensure a clean and enjoyable environment.
Festival highlights included an opening ceremony attended by over 10,000 people, with a drone light show and performances by singers Kim Da-hyun and Kim Ui-young. A multimedia fireworks show drew 30,000 attendees.
Local businesses, including 80 local vendors and the fish market, held special discounts, and the Changwon persimmon booth introduced a delivery service to enhance convenience. bus service, with additional buses added to accommodate high visitor demand.