30th Ulsan Whale Festival

The 30th Ulsan Whale Festival is Ulsan's flagship cultural tourism festival, hosted by Nam-gu, Ulsan and organized by the Whale Culture Foundation. Set against the history of Jangsaengpo — once the center of whaling, later transformed into an eco-city where whales and humans coexist — the 2026 festival marks its 30th anniversary under the theme 'An Invitation from the Whales: A Thirtieth Birthday Party!' and the slogan 'Whales Together.' It runs for four days, Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 18, 2026, around the Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone. Key venues include the Whale Theater main stage, Saeumadang, the whale experience court, a busking zone, and a flea-market zone reserved for small merchants. For visitors' convenience, a transfer-style welcome gate operates around Taehwagang Station square. During the festival, signature programs include the opening and closing ceremonies, a special fireworks show, themed performances, a 300-person citizens' grand chorus, and the whale parade. A rich variety of cultural experiences and contests for every generation also unfold — the Whale Land Kids Festa, the 'Challenge! Whale Rider' contest, the Wishing Whale project, AR and reactive media experiences (the Dream of Whales AI zone), and the Whale Family Dancing Star and family song contests. In addition, a 30th-anniversary archive exhibition 'Time of the Whales,' a food zone (the Whale Dining Table), a whale flea market, and linked tourist attractions (the whale-watching cruise, the Whale Ecology Experience Center, Jangsaengpo Culture Warehouse and more) offer visitors abundant sights and enjoyments.