2022 Gangneung Danoje Festival Begins

NameGangneung Danoje Festival Committee
Date19 May 2022
CategoryICH News

Danogut © Gangneung Danoje Festival Committee

The Gangneung Danoje Festival, which has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a National Intangible Cultural Property in Korea, will be held at the Gangneung Namdaecheon Event Hall for eight days from May 30 to June 6.

After the trigger of COVID-19, the Gangneung Danoje Festival was reduced to an online Danoje Festival in 2020, and an exhibition-oriented festival in 2021, but this year, it will be held normally as before in three years.

This year, it will be held under the theme of "Eurachacha Gangneung Danoje Festival". In a dictionary sense, ‘eurachacha’ is a sound that cheers up when facing difficult opponents, situations, or objects and tries to overcome them, and it means trying to overcome the difficulties of COVID-19 and return to daily lives together through Gangneung Danoje Festival, a festival of hope and origin.

This year, Gangneung Danoje Festival will feature the essence of traditional culture, "Jerye," "Gutpan" where gods and people communicate, and the nation's largest open-air market (including food stalls). Moreover, 50 programs in 10 fields, including state-designated cultural heritage events, civic participation events, and folk play events, will be prepared for festival participants.

In particular, this year, the National Dano Jangsa Ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling) Competition, hosted by the Korea Ssireum Association, will be held, allowing visitors to see Gangneung Danoje, Nongak, and Ssireum, all of which are registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in one place.

In addition, a variety of performing arts will be prepared, including performances that inherit traditions modernly with the motif of Gangneung Danogut, and high-quality traditional performances such as Sugungga, Songpa Sandae Nori, Jeonbuk Gochang Nongak, and Pyeongtaek Nongak.

Last but not least, the Sintongdaegil Gilnori (traditional marching band parade), which is known as the essence of Korean Gilnori, will be held on June 4th, with more than 20,000 people gathering every year.