Ulsan Whale Festival

The 30th Ulsan Whale Festival is a representative cultural tourism festival of Ulsan, hosted by Nam-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City, and organized by the Whale Culture Foundation. It is set against the history of Jangsaengpo, once the center of whaling, transforming into an ecological city where whales and humans coexist. Marking the 30th anniversary of the festival in 2026, it will be held under the theme "Whale's Invitation, Thirtieth Birthday Party!" and the slogan "Whales to Be Together." The festival runs for four days from Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 18, 2026, in the Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone. The main event spaces consist of the Whale Theater, the main stage, along with the Shrimp Plaza, Whale Experience Plaza, Busking Zone, and a flea market zone exclusively for small business owners. For visitors' convenience, a transfer-type Welcome Gate will operate at the Taehwagang Station plaza area. During the festival, various signature programs will be held, including opening and closing ceremonies, a special fireworks show, themed performances, a 300-person citizens' grand chorus, and a whale parade. In addition, diverse cultural experiences and competitions for all generations will unfold, such as the Whale Country Kids Festa, the Challenge! Whale Rider Challenge, the Wishing Whale Project, AR and interactive media experiences (Whale's Dream AI Zone), and the Whale Family Dancing Star and Family Song Festival. Furthermore, the 30th anniversary commemorative archive exhibition "Time of Whales," a food zone (Whale Table), the Whale Flea Market, and linked tourism facilities (Whale Sea Travel Ship, Whale Ecological Experience Center, Jangsaengpo Culture Warehouse, etc.) will be operated to provide visitors with a variety of things to see and enjoy.

Program

1. Official Events and Representative Programs
- Opening Ceremony and Opening Theme Performance
- 300-person citizens' grand choir (Ulsan, Beautiful Rivers and Mountains)
- Special Fireworks Show Whale Parade (30th anniversary symbolic parade)
- Closing Ceremony and Awards Ceremony
2. Performance Program
- Night party performance 'Hello 30, Sparkle Tonight!'
- Orchestra collaboration performance 'WAVE CONCERT'
- Whale Country Kids Festa (morning stage specially for children)
- Musical play (gala concert)
- World Folk Performance in Whale Festival
- Invitational performance by Ulsan arts organizations (Korean traditional music, traditional dance, percussion, senior model runway, youth orchestra, etc.)
- Saeu Madang performances (Whale Magic Show, children's participatory musical 'The Whale's Request', Whale Balloon Bubble Show, local live)
- Special stage (invited performance by the 8th U.S. Army Spartan Band, generation-based club showcase, modern circus of human-robot interaction)
- Permanent character parade 'Cutie Whale Parade'
- Busking (Special Nam-gu Street Music Concert, Special Busking)

3. Competitions and citizen participation events
- Whale Family Dancing Star (family dance contest)
- Whale Family Singing Contest 30
- Challenge! Whale Rider Challenge (boarding and record challenge experience)
- Wish Whale Project (citizen-participatory completion of wish papers and photo zone)
- Making a Whale Lantern (whale lantern workshop experience)
- Whale Expedition Family Tour (5-mission stamp tour)
- On-site participatory events (Whale Random Play Dance, Whale-lympic, Whale Ecology O/X Quiz Show)

4. Future-Oriented & Exhibition/Commemorative Content
- Whale's Dream AI Zone future experience (AR mission content 'Find the Whale', whale interactive experience zone, Future Whale Research Institute)
- 30th anniversary archive exhibition 'Time of Whales' (Jangsaengpo Culture Warehouse)

5. Linkage, Mutual Growth, and Food/Side Events
- Taehwagang Station Transfer-Type Welcome Gate (welcome performance, shuttle guidance)
- Food Zone 'Whale Table' (operated with reusable containers by local community organizations and local restaurants)
- Food Truck Zone and Chimaek Zone
- Whale Flea Market (exclusive market for local creators and small business owners)
- Related tourist facilities (Whale Sea Tour Boat, Whale Ecology Experience Center, Whale Museum, Wales Fantasium, Jangsaengpo Culture Warehouse, Jangsaengpo Light, Wales Swing/Kart, etc.)