Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival 2026: Beautiful GLOW IKSAN Night Guide

200,000 chrysanthemums covering an entire sports park — and then the lights come on after dark. 🌼 The 23rd Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival runs October 23 – November 1 (10 days) in Iksan, Jeonbuk Province — GLOW IKSAN light sculptures, fireworks on October 31, a free bouquet giveaway, and a mobile stamp tour. Full details below. ✨

※ Check the official website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

The Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival (익산 천만송이 국화축제) is one of North Jeolla Province’s signature autumn events, now in its 23rd edition. The 2026 theme — GLOW IKSAN — ties together the city’s two defining identities: chrysanthemums and gemstones. Iksan is home to one of Korea’s largest jewelry and gemstone industries, and the festival reflects that through large-scale jewel-themed sculptures installed alongside 200,000 chrysanthemums in 23 varieties.

After dark, 1,000+ moving light sculptures and a chrysanthemum light tunnel operate until 9:00 PM each night, completely transforming the atmosphere. Based on official announcements as of October 13, 2026.

Official Festival Info (VisitKorea)

Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival Key Info

Friday, October 23 – Sunday, November 1, 2026

Free admission / 23 chrysanthemum varieties, 200,000 blooms · 2,000 bonsai · 1,000+ light sculptures / Opening ceremony Oct 23 at 7:00 PM / Fireworks Oct 31 at 9:00 PM / Mobile stamp tour “Flower Flower, Hide!” — 4,400 participants total.
The bouquet giveaway is first-come, first-served: 100 recipients per day, so morning visits are strongly recommended.

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1. Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival: 3 Things to Know

Chrysanthemum Garden and Jewel-Themed Sculptures

The GLOW IKSAN concept draws on two things Iksan is genuinely known for. The city has hosted Korea’s largest jewelry fair for decades, and its gemstone industry is one of the most significant in the country. This year, large-scale jewel-themed sculptures are installed throughout the Jungang Sports Complex alongside 200,000 chrysanthemums in 23 varieties and 2,000 chrysanthemum bonsai (국화분재) specimens. An additional 6,000+ chrysanthemum sculptures are distributed around the grounds, meaning a camera raised in any direction will find a composed shot.

Night Light Sculptures and Chrysanthemum Light Tunnel

The GLOW IKSAN night experience is the festival’s strongest draw for first-time visitors. Over 1,000 moving light sculptures and the chrysanthemum light tunnel (국화빛터널) — a walkable corridor lined with illuminated chrysanthemum arrangements — operate each evening until 9:00 PM. The visual shift between the daytime garden and the nighttime light installation is dramatic. Fireworks are scheduled once: Saturday, October 31 at 9:00 PM, the festival’s most attended single moment.

Last Night of October Lovers’ Event

Timed alongside the October 31 fireworks, the “Last Night of October” (시월의 마지막밤) event invites couples to submit their story for a chance at special prizes. Applications are accepted through the official festival website. The evening of October 31 — combining fireworks and the night light sculptures — is the festival’s peak experience, and the surrounding area will be at its busiest. Booking accommodation in Iksan for that night well in advance is strongly recommended.

💡 Agoda and Booking.com list hotels in Iksan near the KTX station — rooms for October 31 sell out fast. Book early.

Iksan KTX Station (익산역) is a major stop on the Honam KTX Line — the journey from Seoul takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes (KRW 13,000–55,000 / approx. USD 10–41 depending on class and timing). From the station, the Jungang Sports Complex is about 10 minutes by taxi. Agoda and Booking.com list Iksan accommodation; Trip.com allows combined train + hotel booking.

2. Dates, Venue & How to Get There

Getting to Iksan from Seoul and Incheon Airport

From Seoul Station, the KTX Honam Line to Iksan Station takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. From Incheon International Airport, take the Airport Railroad (AREX) to Seoul Station, then board the KTX — total travel time approximately 2 hours 30 minutes. Fares range from KRW 13,000 to KRW 55,000 (approx. USD 10–41) depending on seat class and advance booking. From Iksan Station, the Jungang Sports Complex is reachable by taxi in approximately 10 minutes.

If you are driving, the venue address is 322 Hana-ro, Eoyang-dong, Iksan-si, Jeonbuk-do. On-site parking is available; on weekend afternoons, nearby public parking lots are a useful backup. For more information, contact the festival at +82-63-859-4977.

Daytime vs. Night Visit

The festival runs 10:00 AM–9:00 PM daily. A daytime visit (10:00 AM–6:00 PM) is best for capturing chrysanthemum color saturation in photography. An evening visit (from around 6:00 PM onward) reveals the light sculpture installation and chrysanthemum light tunnel. If you can visit only once, early evening — arriving around 5:00 PM and staying through the light-up — gives you both experiences in a single trip.

Official Festival Info (VisitKorea)

3. Tickets & Booking: 4 Steps for Foreign Visitors

Step 1: No Ticket Needed — Entry is Free

Admission to the Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival is completely free. No advance booking or ticket is required to enter the grounds and access all displays, sculptures, and light installations.

Step 2: Register for the Mobile Stamp Tour

The “Flower Flower, Hide!” (꽃꽃 숨어라) mobile stamp tour lets you collect digital stamps at checkpoints throughout the grounds using a smartphone. Prizes are awarded on completion. Participation is capped at 4,400 total — 400 per weekday, 500 per weekend day. Register at the entrance gate or check the official website before arriving. English-language app support may be limited; the QR-code-based system can typically be operated without reading Korean text.

Step 3: Claim the Bouquet Giveaway

Spend KRW 30,000 (approx. USD 22) or more at a participating Iksan restaurant or lodging, or KRW 15,000 (approx. USD 11) at a participating café, then show proof at the designated redemption counter to receive a flower bouquet. This is available to the first 100 visitors per day (1,000 total over the festival). Foreign visitors can participate — keep your receipt and show it at the counter. Payment by international credit card is generally accepted at most restaurants and cafés in Iksan city center.

Step 4: Plan the October 31 Fireworks Visit

Fireworks take place once, on Saturday, October 31 at 9:00 PM. This is the festival’s most attended night. Book accommodation well in advance, arrive before 8:00 PM to secure a position, and allow extra time for departure — public transit and taxis will be heavily in demand after the fireworks end.

4. Where to Eat & Stay Nearby

Eating Near Jungang Sports Complex

The Iksan city center near the venue has a range of Korean restaurants across price points — Korean set meals, gukbap (rice soup), and grilled pork are common. Spending KRW 30,000 or more at a participating local restaurant qualifies for the bouquet giveaway, which makes dining locally an easy double benefit. Food stalls also operate inside the festival grounds throughout the event period.

Accommodation: Book October 31 Early

Iksan KTX Station area has clustered business hotels; the city center offers guesthouses and mid-range hotels. Agoda, Booking.com, and Trip.com all list options. For October 31 (fireworks night), demand significantly increases — book as early as possible. An alternative strategy: base yourself in Jeonju (전주, a major historic city approximately 30 minutes away by car or bus) and day-trip to Iksan for the festival.

5. Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival vs. Wolchulsan Chrysanthemum Festival at a Glance

6. 5 Tips for Foreign Visitors to the Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival

Visit Both Day and Night for the Full GLOW IKSAN Experience

The daytime chrysanthemum display and the nighttime light installations are genuinely two separate experiences within the same venue. If logistics allow, splitting a visit across morning and evening — or across two days — gives you the most complete picture. A single visit starting around 5:00 PM captures both the late afternoon flower display and the light installation once it activates.

Position for Fireworks Before 8:00 PM on October 31

The October 31 fireworks begin at 9:00 PM. According to the organizers, this is the festival’s single busiest moment. The outdoor grounds of Jungang Sports Complex have wide open sightlines, but popular positions fill quickly. Arriving before 8:00 PM gives you time to enjoy the evening light sculptures and still find a clear viewing spot before the fireworks launch.

The Stamp Tour Fills Up on Weekends

Weekend participation in the “Flower Flower, Hide!” stamp tour is capped at 500 per day. Head to the registration point immediately on arrival — not after an hour of walking around. On weekdays, the cap is 400 participants; check the official site or ask at the entrance for the day’s availability before planning your route.

The Bouquet Giveaway Requires a Local Receipt

Keep receipts from any qualifying dining or café spend (KRW 30,000+ at a restaurant or accommodation; KRW 15,000+ at a café). International credit cards are widely accepted in Iksan, so payment for foreign visitors is generally straightforward. The redemption point is open each day but closes at 100 successful claims — earlier in the morning is safer.

Combine with a Jeonju Hanok Village Day Trip

Jeonju (전주), approximately 30 minutes from Iksan by car or bus, is one of Korea’s most visited historic towns — its Hanok Village is a dense collection of traditional Korean tile-roofed houses (한옥, hanok) with many food stalls, craft shops, and cultural experiences. The two destinations pair naturally into a single overnight trip from Seoul. Trip.com and Klook both list Jeonju-based tours.

💡 Trip.com lets you search Iksan and Jeonju hotels alongside KTX tickets in a single booking session — convenient for planning a full Jeonbuk autumn trip.

Klook and Viator offer Jeonju day-tour options from Seoul that can be adapted to include an Iksan stop. Booking.com’s map view makes it easy to identify hotels within walking distance of Iksan Station, which is the most practical base for festival visitors arriving by train.

Frequently Asked Questions

More to Explore

Visiting Korea in late October? The Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival in Seoul opens the same weekend — Kep1er, Loco, and a 900-drone light show, all free at Olympic Park.

Heading to Iksan by KTX? Check the timetable in advance — note that this page is in Korean, so your browser’s translate feature will help.

Sources: Iksan City official announcements, Visit Korea English festival listing (vcontsId=78731), Jeonbuk Province Tourism official information (October 2026).