[Diary Point = Reporter Choi Seung-jin] The 26th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival takes place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8 across three venues in Masanhappo-gu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. The festival sites are Samildocheon Marine Nuri Park, Happo Waterfront Park, and Masan Marine New City, each open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Admission is free. Samildocheon Marine Nuri Park features eight themed displays made with 100,000 chrysanthemum plants, while Happo Waterfront Park centers on live performances and food vendors. Masan Marine New City houses a food plaza, AI experience booths, and wedding photo zones.
Opening-night fireworks show runs 12 minutes starting at 7:30 p.m.
The opening ceremony on Oct. 31 begins at 7 p.m. at the main festival site, Samildocheon Marine Nuri Park. A multimedia fireworks show follows right after the ceremony, running from 7:30 p.m. to 7:42 p.m., with celebratory performances to follow.
New this year is a traditional fire-flower display, called "nakhwa," held over the sea in front of the same main venue on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. Since the fireworks show and the fire-flower event are held on different dates with different formats, visitors who want to see fireworks bursting in the sky should come on opening day, while those hoping to see embers drifting over the water should plan for Nov. 4.
Shuttle buses depart from Masan Station, but service ends early on weekdays
Free shuttle buses run on a circular route connecting Masan Station, Odong-dong Culture Plaza, Happo Waterfront Park, and Samildocheon Marine Nuri Park. On weekdays, service runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; on weekends, from 10 a.m. to 9:10 p.m., with buses arriving every 30 minutes.
At the main festival site, the shuttle drop-off and pick-up points differ. Buses heading to the festival grounds stop in front of Shabu-hyang, while those returning to Masan Station depart from across from Haeundong Seong Apartments. Since the Nov. 4 fire-flower show starts at 7 p.m. but weekday shuttle service ends at 6 p.m., visitors will need to arrange their own transportation home after the event.
Parking capacity expanded to 5,500 spots — start your visit at the main festival site
Changwon City said it has expanded parking around the festival area from 4,500 spots last year to 5,500 this year. However, the location of individual lots and whether they are free or paid may vary depending on on-site operations, so visitors should check the transportation and parking information on Changwon City's official festival website before heading out.
For those planning to visit all three festival sites, the recommended route is to start at Samildocheon Marine Nuri Park, where most of the chrysanthemum displays are concentrated, then move on to Happo Waterfront Park and finally Masan Marine New City. Families with children can view the daytime exhibits at the main site first, then choose one evening event to attend, spreading out the travel between venues. The festival schedule may change depending on organizer circumstances and weather conditions.