Events

Daejeon Bread Festival 2026 (Oct. 17–18): Hours, Free Entry, Seongsimdang Booth and Seoul's Pen Fest

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AI-generated paper bag of baguettes and pastries on a wooden table at an autumn outdoor fair, with blurred stalls and visitors behind and the handwritten note 'bread weekend'.

AT A GLANCE

Dates
Sat–Sun, October 17–18
Hours
Opens 1 p.m.
Place
Hanbit Tower area, Daejeon Expo Science Park
Cost
Free
Bakeries
120 (Zones A–E)
Closing
8:30 or 9 p.m., depending on the source

The 2026 Daejeon Bread Festival runs Saturday and Sunday, October 17–18, around the Hanbit Tower at Daejeon Expo Science Park. Entry is free, and doors open at 1 p.m. both days. 120 bakeries set up in five zones, so you can try breads from all over Daejeon in one place. The same weekend, a stationery event called Sagak Sagak Pen Fest takes place in Myeongdong, Seoul.

The hero image is AI-generated. It is not a photo of the real venue or any vendor.

Wikitree, event guide (in Korean). Check the official notice just before you go for closing time, parking and shuttles.

What is the festival?

It lets you finish a “bread pilgrimage” (visiting bakeries one by one across a city) in one place. The first festival in 2021 had 32 bakeries and about 15,000 visitors. It has since grown to 102 bakeries and about 168,000 visitors. Daejeon says it will keep the local-bakery event and make a separate space for famous bakeries from across Korea. Hankook Ilbo, July 20 (in Korean).

This year Seongsimdang, Daejeon’s best-known bakery, has booth A-07. It plans to sell an apple brie cheese sandwich, a fig roll and a yakisoba bread.

Marker-drawn illustration of a route from a train to a bus to a festival tent with a bread bag, with the handwritten note 'opens at 1 p.m.'

Getting there

From the Seoul area or Busan, take the KTX or SRT high-speed train to Daejeon Station, then a city bus or taxi. Korail’s tour company lists a package tied to the October 17 festival, so compare it against a plain round-trip ticket. Train tickets open two months before departure. Our guide to the two-month booking change.

The same weekend in Seoul: Sagak Sagak Pen Fest

Sagak Sagak Pen Fest is on October 17–18 at Community House Masil, 14 Myeongdong 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul. It focuses on pens, ink and notebooks, open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with last entry at 5 p.m. Tickets are limited, so check availability and conditions with the organizer. SHOWALA, Penletter (in Korean).

The dates are the same, so doing both in one day is hard. Pick one, or go to one each day. Daejeon and Seoul are a train ride apart, so leave room in your schedule.

Who it suits, and who it does not

A good fit

  • You want to compare many bakeries’ breads in one place
  • You want to try Seongsimdang along with other Daejeon bakeries
  • You want an easy event with no entry fee

Not a great fit

  • Long lines and crowds bother you (popular booths may have queues)
  • You need to arrive in the morning (doors open at 1 p.m.)

Tips before you go

  • Pick two or three breads you want first, and choose the rest as you walk around.
  • Popular items can sell out early, so if you must have something, aim for opening time. (General advice.)
  • Bring a sturdy bag.
  • Ask at each booth whether there is a purchase limit.

Closing time differs by source (8:30 or 9 p.m.). Check the official channel just before you go.

FAQ

Is there an entry fee? It is listed as free.

What time does it open? 1 p.m. both days. Closing time differs between sources.

Where is Seongsimdang? Booth A-07.

Do I need to reserve? Check the official notice.

More to read: the autumn festival calendar and a food-festival trip by train.

Checked and updated on October 1, 2026. Dates, venue and vendors can change, so check the official channels. Also used: Daejeon city announcement.