Samto Festival
๐๏ธ 2026.09.11 ~ 2026.09.13
The Wonju Samto Festival stands as a representative regional celebration designed to foster a collective appreciation for Wonju’s agriculture and rural culture among both local citizens and visitors. By showcasing the high-quality agricultural products produced within the region, the festival aims to promote the intrinsic value of farming while providing an inclusive venue where people of all generations can engage through diverse performances and hands-on experiences.
Visitors can access a direct agricultural product market to purchase fresh, locally sourced food, while families are encouraged to participate in specialized rural experience programs. To complement the agricultural focus, the festival integrates stage events with regional art performances, ensuring a rich visual and auditory experience. Ultimately, the Samto Festival functions as a communal ground where farmers and citizens mingleโallowing for a cultural exchange that broadly promotes Wonju’s unique agricultural identity.
Event Programming
The festival is organized into several distinct categories to ensure a comprehensive experience:
1. Performance Events
Attendees can enjoy a variety of live entertainment, including the Samto Singing Contest, the Samto Concert, specifically invited agricultural culture performances, and spontaneous busking sessions.
2. Competition Events
The festival features a wide range of contests, from the National Samto Silver Model Contest and Life Club Competitions to more traditional activities such as the Scarecrow Competition, Mortar and Pestle Turning, and Toto-mi Seed Collecting.
3. Exhibition Events
The Samto Theme Hall serves as the educational hub of the event, displaying regional agricultural products, modern agricultural technology, processed goods, information on agricultural work safety, and exhibits on industrial insects.
4. Experience Events
Interactive opportunities allow guests to immerse themselves in rural life through agricultural culture and gardening experiences, animal feeding, natural dyeing, and agricultural product cooking classes. For those interested in modern technology, a VR agricultural experience is also available.
5. Sales Events
The festival facilitates the direct sale of regional agricultural products, allowing visitors to buy directly from the producers.
6. Sharing Events
Community-centric activities emphasize traditional Korean food culture, featuring Gamasot (cauldron) Bibimbap, Tteokme-chigi (rice cake pounding), the creation of Three-color Garaetteok, and the Himchan-i Agricultural Product Exchange.
7. Food
Diverse culinary options are available across the Local Food Hall, the Multicultural Food Hall, and the specialized Chiaksan Hanwoo Zone.
Visitor Information
๐ Address: 311 Seowon-daero, Wonju-si, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Myeongnyun-dong)
๐๏ธ Accommodation near the event
๐ฐ Fee: Free
๐ Inquiry: 033-737-4155
๐ฅ๏ธ Homepage: https://www.3to.kr/
What is Samto?
Samto (์ผํ ) means โthree earths.โ The name refers to the Wonju Samto Festival, and to three Korean terms that share the syllable to: ํ ์ (toyang) โ soil, ํ ์ข (tojong) โ native seeds and breeds, and ํ ์ (tosok) โ local customs and traditional ways of life.
The festival uses these three categories to show how agriculture in Wonju is shaped by the land and by the people who work it. Soil affects what can be grown and how it tastes. Native seeds and livestock have been selected over time to suit local conditions. Local customs include the ways farmers have passed down knowledge, recipes, and seasonal work routines.
For visitors, this means the festival is not only a market for farm products. It also offers a chance to see how those products are connected to a particular place. Programs are organized around the three themes: soil exhibitions and field experiences, displays of native breeds and seeds, and demonstrations or workshops on regional food and farming traditions. Together, they give a fuller picture of what makes the regionโs agriculture distinct.
