ULSAN — An event showcasing the quality of pears, a local specialty of Ulsan, and marking this year's harvest is set to open. Despite poor weather conditions including drought, the region's pear output this year is expected to edge up from average years.
Ulsan's Ulju County said on the 14th that it will hold the 25th Ulsan Pear Festival from Oct. 16 to 17 at the Ulsan Horticultural Cooperative's Hanaro Mart. The Ulsan Horticultural Cooperative is organizing the event.
The opening ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. on the 16th, the first day of the festival, on the outdoor stage at Hanaro Mart, accompanied by a celebratory performance.
During the festival, the site will host contests for pears, sweet persimmons and apples, a global fusion pear cooking showcase and hands-on booths.
A direct-sale market will also operate, offering local fruit such as pears and sweet persimmons along with produce grown by young farmers who have started businesses in the region. The market is designed as a space where growers and consumers meet directly to trade and talk about local produce.
Ulsan pears have won recognition for quality in both domestic and overseas markets, including continued exports to the United States.
"We hope this festival will showcase the value of Ulsan pears and local farm produce at home and abroad, and recognize the hard work of our farmers," an Ulju County official said.