Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival

*The information below is based on the 2026 festivals. Details for the 2027 festivals will be updated as they become available.*Held in Hwacheon, Gangwon-do, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is a one-of-a-kind winter event that was named one of CNN's “Seven Wonders of Winter” in 2011. The festival takes place every January, when the famously pristine waters of Hwacheoncheon Stream freeze solid. Visitors can catch sancheoneo, mountain trout often called the "Queen of the Valley", through ice fishing or even with their bare hands. The freshly caught fish can be enjoyed immediately as raw slices or grilled on the spot. Beyond fishing, the festival features a wide range of winter attractions, including ice sledding, snow sledding, and bobsledding, drawing more than one million visitors each year.