POCHEON — Pocheon, a Gyeonggi Province city reachable from Seoul in about 40 minutes via the Sejong-Pocheon Expressway, is staging a string of large autumn festivals set against foliage and silver reed fields.
The city plans to draw day-trippers with programs tailored to a range of visitors, from scenery viewing and geology experiences to youth competitions and pet culture events, capitalizing on its easy access from the greater Seoul area.
Pocheon said on the 15th that it will hold six autumn festivals from this month through November at major local sites including Sanjeong Lake, Mount Unak, the Hantan River and Pocheon Art Valley.
First up is the 29th Pocheon Sanjeong Lake Myeongseongsan Silver Reed Festival, running from the 16th to the 18th. Mount Myeongseong, one of the country's five largest reed colonies, is known for a sweeping field of about 150,000 square meters (45,000 pyeong) that turns silver with reeds. Visitors can reach the reed fields after about a two-hour climb along a gentle trail from Sanjeong Lake.
The festival will feature environmentally themed programs including an ESG plogging event on Mount Myeongseong, hands-on activities with Korean daisies and a reed art workshop. At night, a fireworks show over Sanjeong Lake and the Art Wall Project, a fluorescent mural display, will add to the autumn atmosphere.
A learning-oriented festival will also showcase the value of the area's UNESCO Global Geopark. The Hantan River Stone Festa, held at the multipurpose plaza near Bidulginang Falls from the 17th to the 18th, is designed to make the thousands of years of geological history along the Hantan River easy and enjoyable to learn about. Along with a handicraft flea market and food booths, the event is linked to a trail running race through the natural setting, offering families an unusual outing.
The 21st Pocheon Mount Unak Foliage Festival will be held on the 25th of this month around Mount Unak, a popular spot for autumn leaves. This year's event carries added significance as a celebration of the recently completed Hanbuk Jeongmaek Cloud Trail, which includes a cliffside walkway and a suspension bridge. The program opens with resident-led activities and a performance by the Pocheon Municipal Arts Company in the morning, followed by a large trot concert featuring singer Lee Byung-chan, a Pocheon publicity ambassador, along with Nam Mi-ae, Aurora, Song Min-kyung, Miss Kim and Yoon Soo-hyun, as well as folk recreation programs.
On the 31st, the final day of October, resident-participation festivals will take place across the city. The 21st Podong Youth Festival, in which local teenagers compete in singing, dancing and other talents, will be held at the plaza in front of Pocheon City Hall, while the 2026 Ildong Three Movements Festa, organized jointly by civilians, the local government and the military, will be held around the main branch of the Ildong Agricultural Cooperative. A military band parade, displays of military equipment and guest performances by retro-era stars including Park Nam-jung and Cleo will bring residents and soldiers together.
The highlight of the autumn lineup is the 2026 Pocheon Pet Star in Art Valley on Nov. 14, a signature event for a city that promotes itself as pet-friendly. Held at Pocheon Art Valley, where rock cliffs meet the emerald waters of Cheonju Lake, the event will offer a talk concert by veterinarian Seol Chae-hyun, dog pilates, a dog playground and a "Petlympic," among other activity zones.
The city has significantly expanded facilities for visitors bringing dogs, including a pet-friendly monorail service, on-site professional trainers, drinking fountains and waste bag stations.
"I hope visitors will take in the deepening autumn through the spectacular reeds and foliage, along with the rich cultural events, that Pocheon offers so close to the capital region," Pocheon Mayor Baek Young-hyun said. "We will do everything we can in preparing the festivals and managing safety so that families, couples, friends and even pets can all make memories safely and enjoyably."