The Sancheoneo Ice Festival is a unique winter festivity that attracts over 1,000,000 visitors every year. Programs are organized into four major categories, with the main themes of Sancheoneo, ice and snow. The program related to the fresh water fishes living in mountain lakes and River. Activities include ice fishing (a hole is pierce in the ice of the stream), lure fishing, and catching fishes with your bare hands.

_ Eolgomi Family (the name of the winter festival character)

Name: Eolgomi Family
Occupation: Sancheoneo Ice Festival promotion and Festival’s venue maintenance
Hobby: Fishing Sancheoneo, Watching people
Home town: They previously lived in the North Pole, and moved to Hwacheon at a winter night in 2002. They decided to stay in Hwacheon because of beautiful nature and wonderful people. When summer comes, they hibernate.
Favorites: Sancheoneo, Snow sledding, Ice sledding, Visiting SuDal's house(an otter’s home) or ElTo&DangTo-ne (Elto&Dangto’s home)

_ What is Sancheoneo?

Sancheoneo is a frsh water fish in the Salmonidae genus of the Salmoniformes family and only inhabit cool, pure streams of 20℃ or below. The unique patterns on its back called 'parrmark' make them more beautiful; it is also known as “the queen of valleys”. Sancheoneo is a rare species, but not endangered. It has firm, chewy flesh and a nutty/sweet taste.

_ Hwacheongang River

Hwacheongang River, a width of 100~150m and a depth of water of 1~3m, locates near the Town Center of Hwacheon County. The organization freezes the river with a thickness of 30~40 cm and a length approximately 2 km for the winter festival. All festival participants enjoy fishing Sancheoneo on this ice. There is a snow bobsleigh track with a length of 50 m, an ice bobsleigh track with a length of 150 m, an ice soccer field, a ice-skating field and so on.

_ Main events

Sancheoneo Experience programs:
Ice fishing, Bare-hand fishing

The program related includes ice fishing (a hole is cut in the ice of the stream) and catching fish with your bare hands. You can buy fishing tools inside festival place. No fishing license is necessary. Everybody can fish even kids because the way of fishing is safe and easy. You can cook the Sancheoneo or enjoy “hoe"(mean. sashimi or sushi).

Most programs are free of charge except the programs related to fishing with a reasonable admission fee. Don’t forget to get ￦5000(Korea Money) discount in exchanging to “ farm produce exchange for coupon” .
The coupon can be used to exchange farm goods in organic food festival booths.


Snow&Ice experience programs
Ice sledding, Snow sledding, Snow castle, Snow sculpture, Bobsleigh, Ice tubing, Ice bumper Car, Ice bike, Snowman photo zone, Sledding school for kids, Ice soccer, Sled train, Ice skating, Bike skating and so on.

The programs are free of charge. If you rent a sled, it requires a small rental fee. However, you will get 100% reimburse in the festival money ("Hwacheon Love Currency") when you return the sled. This festival money is valid everywhere within Hwacheon county boundary and expires in a year since the day of issue.

Creative Sled Making Contest
The Creative Sled Making Contest is a showcase of numerous individually crafted sleds. There is no limit on the size or design, as long as the sled can hold over 1 person. The sleds must run manually, be self-designed, and built by the participants who will also personally ride the sled during the festival.

Participants are encouraged to use their creativity making their sleds like no other in the world. Every year, you will find sleds that look like fishes, submarines, penguins, and even Santa Claus. To make the contest more fun, all participants usually decorate their sleds with an item reflecting each year's theme.

All sleds must be made before the contest day because there is no site available to make on site. Participants can register online for the contest on the official website, http://global.narafestival.com

All rights of the winning rafts reserved to Hwacheon-gun, and rides are available for the visitors to the festival.

_ Cultural events