Yeongcheon Bohyeonsan Starlight Festival

The 23rd Yeongcheon Bohyeonsan Starlight Festival will be held from October 9 to 11, 2026, around the Bohyeonsan Astronomical Science Museum at 681-32 Byeolbit-ro, Hwabuk-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, with free admission. The 2026 operating hours are announced as 11:00–21:00. It has not been confirmed in the publicly available 2026 information whether advance reservations or ticket bookings are required. The key change for this year is that the theme has shifted from Saturn, the theme of the 22nd festival in 2025, to Uranus in 2026.

How the 2026 Uranus theme differs from Saturn in 2025

Uranus is the theme planet of the 2026 festival. The thematic sequence runs from the Sun in 2022, Mars in 2023, Jupiter in 2024, and Saturn in 2025 to Uranus in 2026.

The 2026 main program includes astronomy lectures, constellation talks, Star Eye Contact, a star party, Children's Challenge! Golden Star, and an observatory tour. Side programs are scheduled to include a VR Experience Play Zone, Stars and the Moon, a Space Cosplay Contest, and science-kit making.

Eleven craft-experience booths are planned for 2026, with preparations also focused on expanding stay-oriented programs that encourage visitors to remain from daytime through night. However, the times of daily programs for 2026 have not yet been released.

Past schedules do not replace this year's timetable. In 2021, the first day featured an online nationwide children's Starlight Golden Bell from 16:00 to 17:00, followed that day by a lecture capturing the starlight from 20:00 to 20:20; the second day included a popular singer's congratulatory performance from 19:30 to 20:00; and the third day featured an astronomy talk show from 16:00 to 16:40.

Getting to the Bohyeonsan Astronomical Science Museum during 11:00–21:00: last-bus information unavailable

The venue is around the Bohyeonsan Astronomical Science Museum, and the address is 681-32 Byeolbit-ro, Hwabuk-myeon, Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It is safest to enter 681-32 Byeolbit-ro exactly as written into a map app.

The nearest station and terminal to the venue in 2026, bus numbers, walking time to the venue, and whether temporary shuttle buses will operate have not been announced. The evaluation of the 22nd festival in 2025 identified insufficient parking and transportation facilities as areas for improvement, and the location and fees of temporary parking lots for 2026 have also not yet been confirmed.

Transportation, parking, safety management, and emergency-response systems were reviewed during preparations for 2026. Although the event ends at 21:00, no last-bus information is available, so the current planning conclusion is that a same-day trip by public transportation is not feasible. The operations office phone number is 070-4232-1865.

What to do at the 11 craft booths and four Yeongcheon Starlight Mandu Zones

Admission is free, but individual fees for the 11 craft booths have not been announced. The suggested itinerary is to attend astronomy lectures and constellation talks, participate in the star party and Star Eye Contact, and then continue with an observatory tour, the VR Experience Play Zone, Stars and the Moon, and science-kit making.

For food, four Yeongcheon Starlight Mandu Zones and six food trucks are scheduled to operate. Prices for dumplings and food-truck menus, as well as card and cash payment methods, have not been announced, so free admission should not be treated as meaning that on-site spending will also be free.

It has not been announced whether English information or interpretation will be available. Astronomy lectures, constellation talks, and Children's Challenge! Golden Star require following explanations in Korean, while for the VR Experience Play Zone, science-kit making, and the Space Cosplay Contest, it is better to first check how the programs operate. Because lighting around the festival site is scheduled to be minimized and the site will be somewhat dark for stargazing, stroller and wheelchair accessibility should also be confirmed before departure.

Parking and information gaps remaining after 32,000 visitors in 2025

More than 32,000 people visited the 22nd festival in 2025, with visitors from outside the area accounting for over 85%. In the same evaluation, satisfaction scored 4.3 out of 5, while the booth experiences, Starry Night Concert, and constellation talks received high ratings.

On the other hand, insufficient parking and transportation facilities remained areas for improvement in the 2025 evaluation. In 2026, visitors traveling by car should confirm the parking location and fees first, and anyone planning to stay until night should arrange a separate way to return home.

The festival format, with lectures, talks, Golden Star, cosplay, and 11 booths together, may not suit travelers who only want to quietly observe the stars. Travelers who require English information and companions using strollers or wheelchairs may also find it difficult to finalize their plans before the relevant information is released. Before departure, check the official website or call the operations office at 070-4232-1865 regarding advance reservations, daily schedules, transportation and parking, operation in rainy weather, and foreign-language information.

2026 FAQ: How should you plan for the Uranus festival?

• What time do the Uranus-related events in 2026 start? — Overall operating hours are 11:00–21:00, but the times of daily programs have not yet been released.
• How many Yeongcheon Starlight Mandu Zones and food trucks are there? — There are four Starlight Mandu Zones and six food trucks. Prices and payment methods have not been announced.
• Does the number of visitors in 2025 indicate how crowded 2026 will be? — More than 32,000 people visited the 22nd festival in 2025, and visitors from outside the area accounted for over 85%, but crowd levels in 2026 cannot be determined.
• Can I return by public transportation after the event ends at 21:00? — Since bus numbers, shuttle services, and last-bus information have not been released, current planning should assume that a same-day trip by public transportation is not feasible.