Andong Mask Dance Festival 2026: Parking, Food & Insider Tips

One of Korea's most iconic traditional cultural festivals,

the season for the 2026 Andong International Maskdance Festival is back!

As Andong's signature festival with a rich history,

✅️ it's packed with sights to see, delicious food to try, and engaging activities, making it a festival you can enjoy all day long!

I've put together my honest review from visiting in person, recommendations for food at the Andong Maskdance Festival,

Andong Maskdance Festival parking information, and some useful tips that are good to know!

🚨 Don't miss out – book your Andong accommodation in advance!

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During the festival period, accommodations in Andong city center and near major attractions often book up quickly, especially coinciding with holidays,

so make sure to check the remaining rooms and best prices for these 4 recommended accommodations for your Andong trip that suit your taste and itinerary!

🏨 Agoda Looking for great value and walking distance to the festival? Andong Browndot Munhwa-eui-Geori Branch ➔

🏨 Agoda Craving new, pristine cleanliness and walking distance to the festival? Andong Hound Munhwa-eui-Geori Branch ➔

🏨Booking.com Dreaming of a comfortable 4-star hotel getaway? Stanford Hotel Andong ➔

🏨Booking.com Craving a tranquil Hanok experience? Andong Jukheon Traditional House ➔

Festival Basic Information

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✔️ Duration: September 24 (Thu) ~ October 4 (Sun), 2026 / 11 days

✔️ Theme: Memories of Masks, Everyone's Dance

✔️ Location: Maskdance Park, Jungangseon 1942 Andong Station, Old Downtown, Hahoe Folk Village area

✔️Festival Admission Fee: None

✔️ Maskdance Performance Hall Ticket: Pre-sale General ~$4 / On-site ~$6

✔️ Free Admission For: Children 6 years old and under, Basic Livelihood Security recipients, persons with disabilities, national merit recipients

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Exploring the festival grounds and outdoor events are completely free, so you can look around without any burden,

and you only need to purchase a separate admission ticket to watch the maskdance performances by the main performers.

I visited on the 27th, which was a holiday weekend!

Since my family's hometown is Andong, I grew up frequently experiencing the Maskdance Festival, but

it really struck me how much better prepared the festival becomes each year, and the quality itself visibly improves!

This year, in particular, I saw many more international tourists than before, which made me realize it has truly become a bonafide global festival.

Parking & Transportation Tips

Even usually peaceful Andong gets pretty crowded around the Andong Maskdance Festival parking areas on weekends or during peak times when the festival is on!

If you're bringing a car, it's most convenient to use ✅️ the official temporary festival parking lot in front of Andong Homeplus or

✅️ the Maskdance Park riverside parking lot.

(The Maskdance Park riverside lot is free, but beware, it gets completely full, especially on weekends!)

If you're using public transportation, there are good routes from KTX Andong Station (Jungangseon 1942 Andong Station) or

the bus terminal to the festival grounds,

making it much easier to get around.

Main Performance Stage & Parade

At the main performance stage within Talchum Park, you can experience the Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori (mask dance drama), among others,

Non-stop performances unfold throughout the day, including the domestic and international World Mask Dance Competitions featuring 27 teams from 23 countries, and modern creative performances.

If you want to catch a performance, I recommend grabbing a leaflet or checking the performance schedule at the entrance beforehand to plan your route!

Even if you can't catch a performance, the exciting atmosphere of the Andong Mask Dance Festival's street parades and the magnificent music alone are enough to get your spirits soaring.

Parades take place not only near Talchum Park but also in Andong's old downtown, including Sin Market,

where a beer festival is also happening!

East Asia Hall Exhibition

This exhibition space introduces traditional mask cultures from not only the three East Asian countries of China, Japan, and Korea,

but also from around the world!

Malaysia has been selected as this year's guest country, with a dedicated booth showcasing Borneo Sabah culture!​

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You can compare the origins, meanings, and performance cultures of masks from various countries, making it fascinating even without prior knowledge of mask culture.

Being an indoor space, it was also a great spot to take a short break from the hot weather!

Experience & Souvenir Booths

Experience programs like the 'Mask Atelier,' where you can make and paint your own masks, are incredibly popular.

You could easily spot not just children, but also couples on dates and foreign visitors, creating their own unique masks and making wonderful memories!

You can choose between painting or using clay art,

✅️ and the experience price is around ~$6.

There's also a flea market featuring mask-shaped keychains, magnets, postcards, pottery, Hanji craft souvenirs, and more.

I've been to many festivals, but I found so many unique souvenirs here that I hadn't seen before!

From apples to various local specialties from Andong and Gyeongbuk region,

the prices vary, making it easy to pick up a souvenir from your Andong trip without breaking the bank.

Plus, there's a general store (Manmulsang) as a bonus! Where else would you find giant toenail clippers like these?

And ✅️ there's also a small children's amusement ride zone with attractions like Disco Pang Pang and Mini Viking, making it highly recommended as a place to visit with kids!

Andong Traditional Liquor Expo Booth

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A must-visit for any spirit lover!

Andong's pride, traditional distilled Andong Soju, features booths for each brand, giving you the chance to get a taste.

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✅️ To enjoy a tasting, simply verify your date of birth at the booth to receive a glass and a wristband!

Honestly, I didn't even know there were so many diverse brands of Andong Soju!

It was impressive to see how each brand carries on the wonderful tradition in its own unique way and design!

It was great that other local liquors besides soju, such as Makgeolli, Takju, and Yeongdong Grape Wine, were also introduced.

You can directly taste Andong Soju's unique clean and rich aroma and purchase the brand that suits your taste.

Plus, here's a tip: you can often snag them at a special festival price when you purchase on-site!

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🏷️Discover recommended accommodations in Andong and real-time availability!

🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽

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🏨 Agoda Looking for great value and walking distance to the festival? Andong Browndot Munhwa-eui-Geori Branch ➔

🏨 Agoda Craving new, pristine cleanliness and walking distance to the festival? Andong Hound Munhwa-eui-Geori Branch ➔

🏨Booking.com Dreaming of a comfortable 4-star hotel getaway? Stanford Hotel Andong ➔

🏨Booking.com Craving a tranquil Hanok experience? Andong Jukheon Traditional House ➔

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Food Market & Food Court

True to a festival that grows more amazing each year, what truly captivated me at this year's Mask Dance Festival was, without a doubt, the incredible diversity and high quality of the food!

Theme-specific food streets like food trucks, food markets, Talchum Restaurants, and Talchum Pocha were widely set up in various locations,

offering a diverse range of items from essential festival menus and snacks to local Andong dishes and their creative variations.

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✅️ Andong Specialty Menus: Unique idea menus hard to taste anywhere else, such as Andong's representative specialties like Heotjesabap Gimbap, Yangban Tal Hearty Feast Noodles, Korean Melon Yakisoba, and Yam Yogurt Ice Cream!

✅️ Festival-Tailored Food: From whole roasted pig, Bossam Jokbal (boiled pork slices and pig's trotters) perfect for a drink, direct-fire grilled chicken feet you grill yourself, and grilled ribs, to kebabs, gelato, and mocha buns.

With so many food booths, the spectrum was incredibly wide, making it really great to choose and eat whatever you wanted.

Most importantly, it was evident that Andong City put a lot of effort into managing prices and quality to prevent price gouging controversies.

Overall, the food portions were generous, and the prices were fair for the quality, making for a truly enjoyable experience! (Pork dishes highly recommended!)

Must-Try Dishes I Personally Recommend

My family and I went to the festival without eating beforehand, which meant we could try a variety of dishes.

Among them, here are the ones I personally tasted and highly recommend!

Grilled Chicken Feet & Kimchi Noodle Soup: Experience the vibrant outdoor market atmosphere of a K-festival with flame-grilled chicken feet bursting with smoky flavor, paired with a refreshing bite of kimchi noodle soup!

Kebab: The lamb/chicken/mixed kebabs were so delicious, rivaling even those in Itaewon, that we instantly devoured two more!

Mocca Bun: These wonderfully crispy, giant mocca buns come in various flavors like plain, butter, matcha cream, corn cream, and Dubai pistachio cream – they were incredibly high-quality, exceeding all expectations!

Gelato: High-quality gelato that perfectly captured Andong's local flavors, like Lee Yuk-sa green grape and Yangban rice, with an amazing texture too!

Since there are many stalls selling items like kebabs, galbi (ribs), and chicken feet throughout the festival grounds,

if you're curious about the exact location of the booths where I tried these, please leave a comment!

✔️ The food market is quite large, so just walking around it can take some time.

✔️ It tends to get crowded on weekends, so it's best to avoid peak lunch hours.

Restrooms, Water Fountains, & Other Facilities

The 2026 Andong International Maskdance Festival, true to its reputation as a veteran festival, ✅️ boasts excellent facilities.

Beyond the main Maskdance Park restrooms, mobile restrooms are also thoughtfully placed throughout, making them easy to find without getting lost!

✅️ There are also water fountains of various sizes,

and plenty of shaded areas and indoor seating are strategically placed to escape the scorching sun,

allowing grandparents and children alike to relax and enjoy comfortably.

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✔️ Check the performance schedule and head to the stage area about 30 minutes before a show begins.

✔️ Parking can be challenging on weekends, so public transportation is highly recommended.

✔️ There are also separate programs near Jungangseon 1942 Andong Station, so if you have time, make sure to visit those as well.

Final Summary

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🏨 Agoda Looking for great value and walking distance to the festival? Andong Browndot Munhwa-eui-Geori Branch ➔

🏨 Agoda Craving new, pristine cleanliness and walking distance to the festival? Andong Hound Munhwa-eui-Geori Branch ➔

🏨Booking.com Dreaming of a comfortable 4-star hotel getaway? Stanford Hotel Andong ➔

🏨Booking.com Craving a tranquil Hanok experience? Andong Jukheon Traditional House ➔

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With so many sights, experiences, kids' play areas, and even delicious, fairly priced food, it's no wonder

satisfaction levels keep rising year after year for the Andong International Maskdance Festival!

Its sheer size means you'll wish you had more than a day to explore it all,

so this autumn, I highly recommend planning a trip to Andong as a top domestic fall travel destination!