Chuseok public holidays are Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 September 2026 (most people treat Sunday the 27th as part of the break). Seoul does not shut. What changes is the restaurants and the trains. If you are already here, start with Namsangol Chuseok Festival (25–27 Sep, free core), the Street Arts weekend at Ttukseom–Seoul Forest (19–20 Sep), and Guro G Festival along Anyangcheon the same weekend.
This page is a shortlist, not the full /events/ dump. Times and free/paid flags below come from our calendar rows as of 18 September 2026 — always recheck the official link on the event page before you go.
This weekend first (19–20 September)
Three visitor-facing clusters sit on the Hangang / west-Seoul side of the calendar. We collapsed duplicate cards where the same programme appeared twice.
| When | What | Where | Free? | Gotcha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19–20 Sep | Seoul Street Arts Festival | Ttukseom Hangang Park & Seoul Forest (Jayang) | Free | Two near-identical cards existed in feeds; use the KTO listing. Programme runs into the evening — check the day’s stage map on site. |
| 18 Sep–1 Nov (opening already on) | Seoul Autumn Festa / opening ceremony | Hangang parks incl. Ttukseom waterside | Mixed — ceremony was ticketed/timed; many park programmes free | Opening ceremony is 18 Sep 19:30–21:00 at the Ttukseom waterside stage; the broader Festa runs for weeks. |
| 19–20 Sep | Guro G Festival (Asia Cultural Festival) | Anyangcheon from Guil Station toward the eco-flower beds | Free | Long riverside strip — pick an entry near Guil rather than walking the whole course in the heat. |
Same weekend, lower priority unless you are already nearby: Seoripool Music Festival (Banpo-daero, free), Munrae City Pop (20 Sep), and the Seongdong library book festival at Sowol Art Hall plaza (19 Sep, free) — one programme, not two.
Chuseok days shortlist (24–27 September)
Cap of five Seoul picks a visitor can actually do. Free/paid and the gotcha are the point.
- Namsangol Chuseok Festival — 25–27 Sep, Namsangol Hanok Village area, free core, Chungmuro ~200 m. Gotcha: evenings draw families; arrive for the daytime craft/folk blocks if you want space. “Namsan Moonlight Square” is a programme name inside the festival, not a second venue across town.
- Unhyeongung Lucky Chuseok — 24–27 Sep, Unhyeongung, Anguk ~100 m. Gotcha: palace-house hours still apply; confirm same-day entry on the event page (feed does not always spell a fee).
- Our Sound Museum Chuseok gathering — 24–27 Sep, free, Anguk ~300 m. Gotcha: 10:00–17:00 window in the feed — not an evening show.
- Seoul History Museum Chuseok Festival — 26 Sep, indoor & courtyard, free, Gwanghwamun ~600 m. Gotcha: one-day only; pair with a palace walk the same afternoon.
- Hanseong Baekje Museum Chuseok Festival — 26 Sep, Songpa, free, Hanseong Baekje ~450 m. Gotcha: farther from the old-city cluster — budget subway time if you are staying in Jongno.
Honourable mention if you want performance over craft: 4th World Pansori Festival at Namsangol / Namsan Gugakdang, 25–26 Sep, free in the feed — check which stage is ticketed on the day.
If you’d rather leave Seoul
Andong’s mask festival opens on Chuseok eve and runs through early October; Jinju’s lanterns start in early October. Book the seat first, then the festival.
- Andong Mask Dance Festival 2026 — station moved; half free; Chuseok travel warning
- Nakhwa / rope-fire nights — stacks with Andong’s closing week
- Jinju Lantern Festival 2026 — last-train callouts
- KTX tickets with a foreign card
- Intercity buses
What closes / stays open
Do not trust an empty side street. Chains and convenience stores stay up; family-run kitchens often do not. Full pattern, pharmacy finder, and palace notes: Chuseok 2026: What Closes, What Stays Open. For a non-holiday walking day around the palaces, see Seoul palace day route.
Full calendar
Everything still listed for Seoul is on /events/ (filter by date or area). This hub will go stale after 27 September 2026 — use the calendar after that.
