About this festival
Held in Jinbu-myeon since the 1990s, the Pyeongchang Trout Festival has grown into a winter institution drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The centrepiece is ice fishing from holes drilled directly into the Odaecheon, where trout can be caught bare-handed in shallow sections. Off the ice, the festival offers snow tubing, ice cycling, and ATV rides across a vast outdoor arena. The surrounding Gangwon mountains make the setting memorable even before you eat what you caught.
Getting there
Take the KTX from Seoul Cheongnyangni to Jinbu Station (about 1 hour 40 minutes). Free shuttle buses run from Jinbu Station to the festival site during the event. The drive from Seoul takes around 2 hours via Expressway 50.
Tips
The festival runs in temperatures that can drop to minus 15 C, so dress in waterproof layers. Admission and basic fishing equipment rental are included in the entry fee (around 10,000 to 15,000 won). On-site vendors sell grilled trout and warm drinks. Peak weekends are very crowded; a midweek visit in late January gives you more space on the ice.
Dates by year
- tentative
2027
January 9 – February 9, 2027
Source: Manual editorial. Last verified 2026-05-09.