Gimje Horizon Festival (김제지평선축제)

In Korea, finding an unobstructed horizon is a rarity, making Gimje’s expansive horizon a unique and stunning sight. Held in the autumn when the fields are tinged with gold, the Gimje Horizon Festival celebrates this unique landscape. The festival aims to promote Gimje’s famous rice and preserve traditional agricultural culture based on the theme of, “where the land meets the sky.” The torch parade at night is the highlight of the festival. The spectacular performance in front of the huge twin dragon sculptures standing at the center of the Byeokgolje Reservoir (Historic Site No. 111) perfectly captures the festival’s vibrant and passionate atmosphere. Throughout the festival venue, there are farming activities, such as harvesting rice and threshing, as well as rural experiences of the past, such as catching grasshoppers and riding an ox cart. ◎ Byeokgolje Reservoir Built during the Baekje period, the manmade reservoir shows the wisdom of Korea’s ancestors and the old agricultural system. On the embankment more than 3 kilometers long, five floodgates were installed to discharge water into the rice fields.