Gwangyang, South Korea – As one of South Korea’s most anticipated spring flower festivals, the 24th Gwangyang Plum Blossom Festival is set to kick off in March. The festival, themed "Korea's Spring, Blossoming in Maehwa Village," will be held for 10 days from March 7th to 16th at Maehwa Village in Dabap-myeon, Gwangyang.

To ensure the festival’s success, Gwangyang City held a briefing session on the 13th to gather opinions on the festival’s basic plan. On the 14th, Mayor Jeong In-hwa personally visited the festival site to oversee preparations.

Participants in the briefing session discussed ways to improve the festival and enhance visitor satisfaction, aiming to elevate the Gwangyang Plum Blossom Festival to a leading cultural event in Korea.

This year, the festival will focus on improving the long-standing issue of traffic congestion and increasing local community participation. As Maehwa Village was selected as one of the top 100 tourist destinations in Korea for 2025-2026, the city plans to introduce fresh and unique new content, such as exploration events, Gwangyang travel on Google Earth, and plum healing therapy.

To create memorable photo opportunities, various photo zones will be set up throughout the festival grounds, including large air sculptures of the iconic "Maedori."

The entrance fee remains at 5,000 won, as it was last year. However, the fee will be fully refunded in the form of festival vouchers to stimulate the local economy. Vouchers can be used at booths within the festival grounds, shops in Dabap-myeon, Jungma Market, Gwangyang Seafood Distribution Center, and other designated locations in Gwangyang City.

To ensure a safe and enjoyable festival experience, the city will strengthen crackdowns on illegal street vendors and night markets by operating a joint task force to combat illegal activities. Additional measures such as real-time traffic updates and increased restroom facilities will be implemented to enhance visitor satisfaction. A comprehensive safety management headquarters will also be established during the festival to prevent accidents.

Mayor Jeong In-hwa inspected various preparation sites, including the riverbank parking lot, the expanded entrance road to Shinwon, the festival site’s infrastructure, and the improved turnaround road at Seomjin parking lot. He emphasized the importance of minimizing inconvenience for visitors.

A city official stated, "As the Gwangyang Plum Blossom Festival marks the beginning of spring in Korea and attracts a large number of visitors, meticulous preparation is essential. We will address past issues and present a completely new experience."

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