Festivals, theme parks offer water fun

Visitors enjoy a massive water pistol fight with parade participants during Jack’s Splash Parade at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. / Courtesy of Everland

By Kim Rahn

Playing in water may be the best option for summer. To hit the water, you don’t have to visit beaches or valleys as many local festivals and theme parks provide water fun. Here are some of them.

Aqua festival in Jangheung

Jeongnamjin Aqua Festival held in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province, has been gaining popularity in recent years for various water splashing programs.

The ninth annual fest will take place at a riverside park along the Tamjin River and a hinoki cypress forest called Woodland, from July 29 to Aug. 4.

A parade on July 30 will signal the massive water fight, with festival organizer staffers and visitors playing with water guns and balloons for the sole purpose of getting wet.

The water fight will take place not only during the parade but also at the riverside park every day during the festival period at 2 p.m. Fire engines and fire helicopters will pour water onto participants.

Other programs include tug-of-war games in the water, catching fish with bare hands, water slides, and riding diverse water craft such as rafts, canoes, banana boats, water bikes and water balls. Concerts by indie bands and poolside parties will also be available. For more information, visit www.jhwater.kr.

A man demonstrates a flyboard performance over the Tamjin River during the Jeongnamjin Aqua Festival in Jangheung County, South Jeolla Province. / Courtesy of Jangheung County

Make own raft in Hwacheon

Hwacheon in Gangwon Province is famous not only for its trout festival in winter but also the Jjokbae (traditional raft) Festival in summer.

Various programs will be offered at the festival on Bungeo Island from July 23 to Aug. 7. The highlight is the “making my own jjokbae” contest. Until last year, participants made their boats with any materials they brought, but beginning this year, paper will be provided as the main material to all participants.

They will have a race with the completed rafts, only by using human power. The first prizewinner will receive 1.5 million won.

A dragon boat race will also be held during the festival. For more information, visit narafestival.com.

Visitors to the Jeongnamjin Aqua Festival enjoy riding water bikes. / Courtesy of Jangheung County

Sources of Han, Nakdong rivers

Taebaek in Gangwon Province is the source of the nation’s two main rivers ― the Han River that runs toward Seoul, and the Nakdong River that runs toward Busan.

The city hosts a festival to commemorate the river source from July 29 to Aug. 7, with Hwangji Pond, the beginning point of the rivers, becoming the main venue.

In the “water playground” event on July 30 and 31 and Aug. 6 and 7, a 300-meter water slide will be set up, and visitors will get soaked with water bombs and pistols and bubble guns.

Free movie screenings will be available at 7:30 p.m. during the whole festival period at O2 Resort. For more information, visit festival.taebaek.go.kr/summer.

Lake festival

The Tangeumho boat race course in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, is turning into a festival venue between July 30 and Aug. 7.

In the biannual Chungju Lake Festival, visitors can enjoy events such as water wrestling, water limbo and water pillow fight, as well as leisure activities including banana boat, kayak and canoe riding.

They can also have concerts over a glass of beer at night. A camping site with 100 tents will also be set up. For more information, visit cjlake.kr/2016.

A visitor passes through water from fountains on a zip line at the Hwacheon Jjokbae (traditional raft) Festival in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province. / Courtesy of Foundation Nara

Water party at theme park

Everland, the theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, holds the annual Summer Splash festival through Aug. 28.

The highlight is Jack’s Splash Parade, in which 40 water cannons eject 84 tons of water. Visitors will be invited to enjoy a game with a large-sized beach ball, and at the end of the parade, they will have a massive water gun fight with the parade participants.

Visitors are advised to prepare raincoats and water pistols. They can purchase the items at the theme park’s shops. The parade is held two to three times a day every day.

Water sprays will also be set up in the theme park’s rose garden for another chance to get wet.

During the festival period, the theme park opens from 10 a.m. through 10 p.m. From today to Aug. 14, the hours of operation are extended to 11 p.m.