Contents
A 2026 plan is not the same as a final programme
This guide looks back at Hampyeong Expo Park’s November 28, 2025–January 11, 2026 edition, with evening hours of 16:00–21:00. The next festival is planned for roughly fifty days from late November 2026 to early January 2027. As of October 22, that remained a planning window, not final opening and closing dates.
The reason to come is a combination of central and lawn plazas, illuminated scenery, media art and hands-on activities. Travelers using our Gwangju Christmas itinerary should reserve a separate evening. If you only want a short walk from your hotel, central-city displays make more sense than a regional return trip.
Trees, a light maze and media art
For 2025–26, the lawn plaza held a light maze and trees. The central plaza combined an illuminated carousel-themed photo setting, angel sculptures and winter media art by Lee Lee-nam. The carousel was a themed photo setting, not an operating ride.
Start with a broad view of the central plaza, then look at the layered lights in the lawn area. Families should agree on a meeting point outside the maze instead of splitting into different queues with no shared exit plan. The useful comparison is between the two areas and their experiences, rather than a tallest-tree ranking.
| Item | Season and arrangements | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| Completed edition | Nov 28, 2025–Jan 11, 2026 | Not winter 2026 dates |
| Historical evening hours | 16:00–21:00 | Separate from ordinary park hours |
| Previous admission | Free | Crafts and food cost extra |
| Next edition | Planned late November 2026–early January 2027 | Exact dates, charges and programme pending |
Christmas Day, weekends and New Year’s Eve differed
The historical Christmas concert was scheduled for December 25, 2025, 17:00–19:00 on the first floor of the themed video hall, featuring winter film and television music. Saturday marching-band performances were 20:00–20:30, while Friday–Sunday Christmas busking was 18:00–19:00. December 31 had a separate 18:00–21:00 Nakhwa fire display. This was a specific New Year’s Eve event, not nightly fireworks.
Choose a quieter night if scenery is the priority, or the specific date if a performance is the reason for traveling. The next edition requires a fresh programme check. An extended illumination season does not mean the indoor concert or special year-end show repeats every day.
The same historical programme included Christmas magic on December 25, 2025, from 18:30 to 19:00, and Lee Young-hyun (이영현) at the central stage on December 27 at 19:00. The lawn plaza also hosted fireside DJ sessions on Saturdays and Sundays from 18:00 to 21:00. These are details of the 2025–26 edition, not standing promises for the next season.
Free entrance, paid crafts and food stalls
The 2025–26 event was free to enter, while tree-making cost 5,000 or 10,000 won and luminous-bracelet workshops cost 5,000 won. These craft activities ran on selected Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays including December 25 and January 1. Free wish cards and the light maze should not be confused with paid materials-based workshops.
The previous festival had six local-produce stands, nine winter-food outlets and six food trucks, with options such as fish cakes, skewers, coffee and walnut cakes. Three igloo-style rest structures occupied the central plaza, alongside character merchandise elsewhere. Use that as a picture of the former mix, not guaranteed next-season stall numbers or available seating.
Getting to the park, not merely the station
Navigate to 함평엑스포공원, 27 Gonjae-ro, Hampyeong-eup, Hampyeong-gun: 함평군 함평읍 곤재로 27. Drivers should follow winter-event parking instructions rather than borrowing an entrance map from the spring butterfly festival or autumn chrysanthemum exhibition.
Check buses between Gwangju and Hampyeong Bus Terminal. Rail passengers arriving at Hampyeong Station still need onward travel; compare local route 100 branches after checking their destinations and the day’s timetable. A taxi from the station or terminal is a simpler last leg if unfamiliar with those branches, but arrange the return pickup as well. A quoted fifteen-minute walk from the terminal to the county office does not describe the route to the festival entrance. Save the correct pin with our Korean navigation guide and prepare mobile connectivity.
A comfortable family visit and a workable return
Allow roughly 1.5–2.5 hours for both plazas, warm food and one activity; queues or a full concert need additional time. Adjust the visit to your group’s pace. Doing the seated craft first and walking the lights afterward can be easier to control than searching for a workshop still accepting visitors near departure.
The previous festival offered stroller and wheelchair lending at the themed video hall and Bull Gate, plus temporary medical stations. Equipment availability, borrowing conditions and accessible routes still need checking with staff; rental provision does not prove that every park path is step-free. If Jeonju Hanok Village is also on your trip, give it another daytime segment rather than treating it as part of the same walking circuit.
FAQ
Can I ride the carousel?
The previous festival had a carousel-themed photo zone, not an operating ride.
Does the January 2026 end date confirm winter 2026?
No. It ended the 2025 winter edition. The following winter has a planning window rather than final dates.
Is Hampyeong Station beside the festival?
No. Plan the onward local bus or taxi and the evening return separately.