25th Damyang Bamboo Festival Attracts 690,000 Tourists: A Deep Dive into South Korea’s Unique Cultural Event

[iNews24 Reporter Kim Sang-jin] Damyang County in South Jeolla Province announced on the 6th that 690,000 people visited the 25th Damyang Bamboo Festival, held May 1–5.

Roughly 210,000 people explored the festival grounds around Juknokwon and Dam-bit Music Hall. Countywide IoT sensor counts registered about 690,000 visitors.

The festival, themed “Shine, Shine, Bamboo!,” grew into a stay-and-play tourism event that blends nature, culture and hands-on activities. That expansion earned enthusiastic responses from both residents and visitors.

Juknokwon stayed open until 9 p.m., offering nighttime highlights like a bamboo-grove cinema, wish-tag hanging and bamboo-instrument workshops. Those evening programs helped cement the festival’s reputation as a place to linger and soak up the atmosphere.

At the opening ceremony, a street parade and the unveiling of a tourism mascot introduced a fresh brand identity for Damyang.

The event also gave the local economy a clear lift. Refund vouchers and linked companion events drew crowds to roughly 140 sales and experience booths, while campaigns promoting reusable containers and cracking down on overcharging boosted visitor satisfaction and supported safe festival operations.

Acting County Mayor Lee Jeong-guk said, “We will continue to develop Damyang’s unique appeal and do our best to grow this into a festival that attracts people from around the world.”