July 17, 2026 – July 21, 2026

Korea's biggest celebration of chimaek — fried chicken and cold beer — drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to Daegu's lakeside park. Dozens of chicken vendors set up alongside imported beer booths, K-pop performances, and late-night DJ sets. Free entry, pay per dish. The festival runs until midnight; bring a blanket and arrive after 6 PM for the best atmosphere.

The Festival

The Daegu Chimac Festival — chimac being the beloved Korean combination of fried chicken and beer (chimaek) — is one of Korea’s most popular food festivals, transforming Duryu Park in Daegu into an enormous outdoor dining and entertainment event over five days (July 17–21). Dozens of fried chicken vendors compete alongside beer gardens, live music stages, and food stalls representing Daegu’s broad street food culture. The festival draws over a million visitors annually and has become a genuine cultural celebration of Korea’s most famous casual food pairing.

What to Expect

The atmosphere is festive and unpretentious — this is a crowd-pleasing outdoor food fair with live music rather than a refined food festival. Queues for the most popular chicken vendors can be long; arriving at opening time or on weekday evenings significantly reduces wait times. The main stage hosts K-pop artists, comedians, and live bands throughout the day and into the evening. Prices are very reasonable by Korean standards.

Getting There

• Subway: Duryu Station (Line 1), Exit 4 — Duryu Park entrance is a 5-minute walk
• From Seoul: KTX to Daegu Station or Dongdaegu Station (about 1.5 hours); subway from either station to Duryu
• Best time: Weekday evenings are less crowded than weekends; evening hours 6–10PM are the liveliest
• Free entry: Entrance to the festival grounds is free; pay per item for food and drinks