Oct 4 to 11 · noon to 9pmFor eight days every October, the UNESCO World Heritage fortress of Suwon Hwaseong hosts Korea's largest royal parade, retelling King Jeongjo's 1795 procession to visit his mother at Hwaseong. It is Suwon's biggest cultural festival, mixing outdoor performance, historical reenactment and hands on programmes across the fortress and Hwaseong Haenggung Palace.
The headline event is the Royal Procession of King Jeongjo on October 4, a large scale reenactment based on the historic Uigwe record of the 1795 journey. Through the week you can also catch the night performance 'Suwon Fantasy: Yajo', the water performance 'Seonyumong', and evening storytelling around the palace, plus daytime hands on programmes like a citizens' painting bureau, a Suwon palanquin race and a masked ball. A Global Village area offers a lounge and traditional games for international visitors.
The festival runs from noon to 9pm daily, October 4 to 11, around Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Haenggung Plaza. Entry is free, though some pre booked programmes charge a fee; check the official site for details. There are no food stalls inside the festival grounds, so plan to eat at restaurants nearby.