Flowers from around the world at Int'l Horticulture Goyang Korea

One of the things that I've loved about Korea is its colorful foliage. Flowers and trees are everywhere, even amidst modern structures. With shades of green, yellow, orange, and red, this is simply one of the most breathtaking things to see there.

Spring is definitely one of the ideal seasons for nature lovers to visit Korea especially since this is the time that the flowers are in full bloom. And one event that you may want to check out is the International Horticulture Goyang Korea. [Hmm, this pretty much reminds me of our very own Panagbenga Flower Festival in Baguio...BTW, for those of us who don't know, Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation.]

This event, which started in 1991 and features new flower species and flower planting technology, takes place every year in April at the Goyang Flower Exhibition Center. It features a wide range of programs, including a large exhibition, seminars, and a flower arrangement contest. Organization and promotional committees from floral business from many different countries are regular participants in this event, where they are able to showcase their flower collections.

This year, the International Horticulture Goyang Korea is to be held at Ilsan Lake Park from April 24 to May 10, 2015. Under the theme of “The Grand Collaboration of Flower, Peace and New Korean Wave,” the fair will showcase flower exhibits from a total of 320 foreign companies from 35 countries.

The exhibitions are spread out on a venue approx. 150,000 ㎡ in size, divided into indoor and outdoor areas. The gardens will exhibit rare species of flora in a variety of themes, offering unique attractions for visitors. In addition, there will be hands-on activities you won’t want to miss out on, such as making small flower ornaments or sailing on a boat decorated with flowers on the lake (5,000 won per person). (Now, that's something I'd like to experience for myself! :))

The exhibition hours are from 9:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and 8:30 to 20:00 pm on weekends and public holidays.

Ilsan Lake Park, where the Goyang Flower Exhibition Center is located, is one of the area’s most popular tourist attractions, known for its stunning beauty.

IMPORTANT DETAILS:

Venue: Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do
Period: April 24 to May 10, 2105.

Admission Fee:
Adults 10,000 won / Youth & Seniors (ages 65 & over) 8,000 won
(8,000 won for foreigners with passport or Alien Registration Card (ARC))
*Discounts available to those booking in advance:
Adults 8,000 won / Youth & Seniors (ages 65 & over) 7,000 won

Performance Times:
Weekdays 09:00-19:00 / Weekends & Holidays 08:30-20:00
Duration of Performances: 1 hr 30 mins

Programs:

World Flower Exchange Pavilion Ⅰ, Ⅱ

• Coco Brand Pavilion: Flower products, Goyang-si brand items 
• Gardener’s Experiment Pavilion
• Explorer’s Pavilion
• Lifestyle Pavilion 
• Peaceful Reunification Pavilion: Video, pictures and wild flowers from North Korea
• Goyang New Hallyu Harmonized Pavilion: Multimedia Harmony Pavilion. Multimedia presentation combined with flowers and greenery on the ceiling. walls, and various other floral elements.

Outdoor Exhibition

Peaceful Goyang Garden, Sculpture Garden, Happiness Stage Garden, Flower Tunnel, Lakeside Flower Road, Healing Garden, Children’s Garden, Theme Garden, Nostalgia Garden, Flower Wall, Mosaic Culture Garden, Korea Garden Show 2015, Display of Urban Agriculture, etc.

Performances

• Lakeside Stage (Main) - Dance, Nanta, Cheerleading, and other exciting performances
• Happiness Stage - Mainly classical musicians
• Every spot at the IHK 2015 area is a stage! Over 300 various performances and parades take place.

Flower Events 

• The 17th IHK Flower Design Contest
• The 16th Traditional Flower Arrangement Contest
• The 4th Preserved Flower Cup Contest - April 26
• Flower Drawing Contest - May 5

Hands-on Activities:

• Flower Boat Ride: Available only during IHK season. 
• Flower related Experience : Making flower pots/soaps/perfumes/herbal teas/hand-made flower props, etc. 
• Traditional Culture Experience: Traditional clothing/wedding experiential programs

For inquiries and more information on International Horticulture Goyang Korea, visit the official website of Goyang International Flower Foundation HERE.

For more information about Korean Tourism, you may visit the Korea Tourism Organization Official page, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

For Filipinos, follow Korea Tourism Organization Manila at Facebook, Twitter, and KakaoTalk (@ktomanila) for the latest updates on Korea tourism, events, tour packages and promos. :)

Photo credit: Goyang Int'l Flower Foundation
Credit: Korea Tourism Organization