Bonghwa Songi Festival

In the late 1990s, Bonghwa County began to recognize the high-quality pine mushrooms growing wild in its clean forests as a resource for the region's future. Known as 'Bonghwa songi,' these rare mushrooms grow only in pristine forest areas above 600 meters above sea level, and their distinctive aroma and texture set them apart from pine mushrooms grown elsewhere, drawing attention from food lovers at home and abroad. Bonghwa County decided to go beyond simply promoting a local specialty and instead created a 'nature-and-food fusion festival' bringing residents and visitors together—and that's how the Bonghwa Songi Festival got its start. Since launching in 1997, the festival has been held across Bonghwa County, centered on pine mushroom picking experiences, mushroom dish tastings, and specialty product sales; as locals actively took part and the mushroom's reputation spread, the festival grew into one of Korea's leading autumn food festivals. Today, the festival goes beyond simple consumption events to spread the values of nature conservation and coexistence, growing into a comprehensive festival that blends culture, tourism, and the economy through traditional performances, experiences tied to local produce, and programs connecting visitors to nearby attractions.