Yeongdo Bridge Festival
🗓️ 2026.10.30 ~ 2026.11.01
The 34th Yeongdo Bridge Festival serves as the representative cultural celebration of Yeongdo-gu, Busan Metropolitan City, taking place over three days from October 30 to November 1, 2026. Centered around the Bongrae-dong Waterfront and Amir Park, the festival is organized annually to highlight the historical and cultural significance of the Yeongdo Bridge—the vital link connecting the urban city center with the sea—while simultaneously fostering harmony among local residents.
To accommodate a diverse range of activities, the event is split between two distinct venues, each offering a different atmosphere and set of attractions. At the Bongrae-dong Waterfront, visitors will find programs rooted in nostalgia and retro culture, including the opening ceremony, the Memories of Black Rubber Shoes play, the Yeongdo Bridge Silent Cinema, and the Yeongdo Memory Alley. Conversely, Amir Park hosts the festival’s grander spectacles and modern activations, such as the closing ceremony, the Yeongdo Bridge Song Festival, a Star Chef Cooking Show, and various eco-friendly experience programs.
Representative Programs
The festival’s primary attractions are strategically distributed to ensure a balanced experience for attendees:
- Bongrae-dong Waterfront: This location focuses on artistic and nostalgic expression, featuring the Memories of Black Rubber Shoes play, a variety of street performances and busking festivals, the Yeongdo Bridge Silent Cinema, and a high-energy K-POP dance gala concert.
- Amir Park: The programming here leans toward entertainment and culinary arts, showcasing a Star Chef Cooking Show, a Fantastic Magic/Balloon/Bubble Show, and a special concert featuring Hidden Singer.
Participatory Programs
Beyond passive observation, the festival encourages active engagement through several community-driven events:
- Bongrae-dong Waterfront: Guests can immerse themselves in the Yeongdo Retro EDM Festival and the Yeongdo inStar performance.
- Amir Park: This venue hosts the Yeongdo Bridge Song Festival, the Yeongdo Children’s Festival, and the Cultural Arts Education Festival.
Side Programs
A variety of supporting activities provide a comprehensive leisure experience throughout the event grounds:
- Bongrae-dong Waterfront: This area includes the main food zone (Blue Port 2021), a dedicated flea market zone, an eco-friendly ESG festival, and the Yeongdo Memory Alley, which includes a resting zone featuring craft beer and snacks.
- Amir Park: Visitors can explore the Yeongdo institutional promotion and experience exhibitions, engage with eco-friendly programs, leave a message in the Yeongdo Bridge memory mailbox, or visit the available food trucks.
Event Logistics
📍 Address: 45 Haeyang-ro 301beon-gil, Yeongdo-gu, Busan (Dongsam-dong)
🛏️ Accommodations near the event
💰 Fee: Free
📞 Inquiry: 051-403-1862 / 051-419-4062
🖥️ Website: https://www.yeongdo.go.kr/ydfestival.web
What is Yeongdo Bridge?
Yeongdo Bridge is a drawbridge in Busan, South Korea, spanning the channel between the mainland and Yeongdo Island. Completed in 1934 during the Japanese colonial period, it was the first bridge to connect the island to the rest of the city. Its single-leaf bascule design lets the roadway rise from one pivot point, allowing ships to pass through the harbor channel.
The bridge served as a regular transportation route for decades. During the Korean War, it carried civilians and refugees moving through the Busan area, and the period remains part of how the bridge is remembered locally. By the 1960s, the structure had deteriorated enough to require closure to traffic. It stayed closed until a restoration project, completed in 2013, turned it into a pedestrian walkway and cultural site.
The lifting mechanism was retained, and the span is still raised at scheduled times each day for visitors. The bridge now functions as both an example of early 20th-century movable bridge engineering and a visible reminder of the city’s wartime history.
