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Yeongdeok Snow Crab Festival

영덕대게축제

Late-winter celebration of the daege (snow crab), peak season on Korea's east coast. Boat tours, on-the-spot crab markets, and steamed crab tastings.

February 25 – March 1, 2027(tentative)Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang
Dates are tentative. Confirm on the official site before booking travel.

About this festival

Yeongdeok daege is geographically protected — only crab caught off Yeongdeok's waters can be sold under the name. The festival coincides with the legal fishing season's peak. Auction observation, do-it-yourself crab boil tents, and the Ganggu Port wharf are the centerpieces.

Getting there

From Seoul: 4 hours by KTX-Eum to Yeongdeok (East Sea Line, opened 2020), or ~5 hours by express bus. The festival is at Ganggu Port, ~10 minutes from Yeongdeok Station by bus or taxi.

If you're not yet fluent in Korean

Crab prices are not cheap — 1kg of in-season Yeongdeok daege runs ₩80,000-150,000. Dining is family-style; come hungry. The east coast is colder and windier than Seoul — pack accordingly.

Dates by year

  • 2027

    February 25 – March 1, 2027

    tentative

Source: Manual editorial. Last verified 2026-05-08.