Play-with-Korea

From marine sports to giant fireworks displays, everything is exciting in Pohang, the city of big harbors and beaches in Gyeongsangbuk-do (South Gyeongsang Province). Get ready to be swept away by the fireworks, parades, and other shows at the 2010 Pohang International Fireworks Festival (PIFS). The festival, now in its seventh year will go on for five days from Jul. 22 to 26.

The fireworks, bigger in scale than that of any other city in the country have been attracting an average of 5.7 million people per year. The highlights are especially on Jul. 24 and 25.Look out for the parades of light, fireworks competition and city parade.

Before the full-fledged festivals there will be mini-firework shows for two days on Jul. 22 and 23 on the Northern ("Bukbu") Beach. On the day of the official ceremony on Saturday Jul. 24, some 500 people and over 80 vehicles will be mobilized for the light parade. The Hyungsan River Sports Park will have a light fashion show, music performance and a musical light show among others. Korea’s popular girl group “Kara” will also show up for the occasion.

The most anticipated moment of the festival – the grandeur of the night sky lit up – known as the Pohang International Fireworks Contest will take place at the same Hyungsan River Sports Park from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the 24th. Four fireworks teams will participate in the event, one from home and three from overseas. With 85,000 individual pyrotechnics all set to go off, there will be no words to describe the dazzling night scene this weekend.