I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough and irritating… and it gets everywhere. That being said, it also serves as the palette for one of the more unique (albeit short-lived) festivals held in Busan, Korea: the Haeundae Sand Festival. Held annually since 2012, this festival started as a small-scale event, showcasing work from local artists. However, over the years, it has evolved into being one of the largest sand festivals in the world, and this year, there are 12 local and international artists chipping in for this event.
Running this year for a mere four days, May 24th-27th, the Haeundae Sand Festival showcases 20 magnificent sand sculptures, all revolving around the theme of “World’s Famous Museums Trip.” (But don’t worry, the sand sculptures themselves will still be viewable until June 9th!) The festival kicks off at 7pm on Friday, May 24th, with a fireworks show and performance from Ulala Session (울랄라세션).
Located on the iconic Haeundae Beach, the sand sculpture is right in the middle of the beach. Coming out of the subway, walk down the massive street, and head straight to the beach. Here, you can find the Haeundae Event Plaza, a large wooden walkway where it’s easy to meet up with people. To the left, you’ll find some public restrooms, and to the right, the iconic Busan SeaLife Aquarium.
The theme this year revolves around well-known pieces of art, from classics like:
- Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam”
- Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper“
- Picasso’s “Guernica”
To more modern pieces, such as Warhol’s “The Marilyn Diptych”. There’s also an advertisement for Disney’s “Star Wars: the Acolyte”, coming out on June 5th to a Disney + near you.
In addition to the commissioned sand art sculptures, there is also an amateur sand sculpting competition, held on Friday, May 24th, and Saturday, May 25th, so be sure to check this out as well! With prizes up to 3 million won, I’m sure the results will be grand!
While you explore the sand festival, be sure to head to the right side of the beach, where you can find the famous bright red HAEUNDAE sign. You can also see the panorama walkway, where signs bearing instructions on how to get the best picture can be found.
One of the rites of passage when visiting Busan’s beaches is to completely ignore the signs that say “DO NOT PLAY WITH FIREWORKS” that are littered all over the beach. While the signs announce that there is a 50,000 won fee for breaking this rule, you are bound to see loads of people setting off fireworks and playing with sparklers nightly in the summer.
So, if you’re in Busan this upcoming weekend, and are looking for an exciting experience, I would highly recommend checking out the Haeundae Sand Festival!
Haeundae Sand Festival Location & Dates
Location:
Haeundae Beach Event Plaza
Dates:
May 24th-27th
