Updated: September 13, 2026.
The Andong Maskdance Festival 2026 is one of South Korea’s major autumn cultural festivals and a particularly good choice for international visitors who want to experience traditional performance without treating it like a museum exhibit. The 2026 festival runs from September 24 to October 4 in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
When is the Andong Maskdance Festival 2026?
The official 2026 dates are Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, October 4. VisitKorea lists performance hours from 10:00 to 22:00. The festival’s own website also confirms the same dates.
Because the event lasts more than a week, you do not need to force it into a single specific weekend. However, performance schedules can vary by day, so check the official timetable shortly before traveling.
Where does the festival take place?
The main areas are Jungang Line 1942 Andong Station, Mask Dance Park and the old downtown. “Jungang Line 1942 Andong Station” is the former downtown railway site used as a cultural venue. It is separate from the active station where your train arrives.
The active Andong Station (안동역) is in Songhyeon-dong at 122-16 Gyeongdong-ro, beside the bus-terminal area. The Korea Rail Industry Information Center records the station’s relocation in 2020. Use the festival venue map to select your first performance destination after arrival.
What will you actually see?
The official program includes Korean and international mask dance performances, original plays, mask-play troupe performances, a World Mask Play Competition, street parades, creative mask events, mask-making and opportunities to learn mask dance.
The strongest reason to attend is the contrast between Korea’s traditional talchum and mask traditions from other countries. Korea’s mask dance traditions are inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but the Andong festival presents them as active performance culture rather than a static display.
Is the festival free?
VisitKorea lists the festival as free admission, while noting that fees can vary for individual programs or experiences. This makes it easy to visit casually, but travelers interested in a particular workshop or ticketed performance should confirm its conditions separately.
How to get to Andong from Seoul
Search current trains to Andong and check the actual departure station and journey time on the service you select. Our train-booking guide explains the booking process.
From the active station, plan a local bus or taxi to Jungang Line 1942 Andong Station (중앙선1942안동역) or Mask Dance Park (탈춤공원), depending on your first performance. Show the full venue name to the driver; asking only for “Andong Station” can send you to the wrong place. Check a live route and add time for festival road controls before choosing a return train.
Should you combine it with Hahoe Village?
Hahoe Village is a separate trip outside the downtown festival area. A two-day plan works well: central Andong and evening performances on day one, then Hahoe Village on day two with its own bus or taxi connection. Check that connection and the village’s last admission before leaving; it is not a short walk between the two.
If you have only one day, prioritize a full mask-dance performance and downtown sights. Our Chuseok travel guide is also relevant because the festival opens during the September 24–26 holiday period.
What should international visitors prioritize?
First, watch at least one Korean mask dance performance. The spectacle makes much more sense after seeing the movement, humor and interaction in a full performance rather than only photographing masks.
Second, stay for the atmosphere after dark. With programming officially continuing into the evening, the festival can work as both a daytime cultural stop and an evening event.
Third, join rather than only watch. Mask-making and dance-learning programs are designed to make visitors participants. They can be especially worthwhile for families or travelers who do not speak Korean fluently.
Useful planning tips
Wear comfortable shoes because the festival extends across multiple areas. Keep the official schedule open on your phone, and allow buffer time between performances. Autumn evenings in Andong can feel much cooler than daytime, so carry a light outer layer.
If one particular performance matters to you, confirm the time and venue on the official festival website on the day of your visit. Festival schedules are more changeable than permanent attraction opening hours.
Common mistakes to avoid
Arriving without checking the daily program: the festival is long and not every performance happens every day.
Treating Hahoe Village and the festival as the same attraction: they complement each other, but require separate time.
Planning a tight same-day return: if you want evening performances, an overnight stay gives you much more flexibility.
Assuming everything is paid: general festival admission is officially listed as free, though some experiences may have separate fees.
Is it worth a trip from Seoul?
For travelers interested in Korean traditional culture, yes. Andong offers a very different experience from Seoul, Busan or Jeju, and the festival concentrates performances and participatory programs into an accessible period. It is particularly attractive for a late-September or early-October itinerary.
If your Korea trip overlaps with the festival dates, consider building one overnight stop in Andong between Seoul and another southeastern destination rather than making a rushed day trip.
Official sources:
Korea Tourism Organization — Andong Maskdance Festival
Andong Maskdance Festival — Official Website
Korea Tourism Organization — Korea’s Top Autumn Festivals 2026
Featured photo: Hahoe Village in Andong by Mathew Schwartz / Unsplash. The photograph shows Andong heritage scenery and is not presented as a photograph of the 2026 festival itself.