Official poster for Festival Shiwol (Busan Metropolitan City)

By Margareth Theresia

Busan through early next month is simultaneously hosting 26 festivals, using the entire city as a stage.

Busan Metropolitan City on Sept. 19 said the 13-day Festival Shiwol (October) features the theme "Autumn Wind," with 26 events throughout Korea's No. 2 city from Sept. 21 to Oct. 3.

The event covers ten sectors like film, performing arts, music, gastronomy, entrepreneurship, sports and forums expected to attract visitors from home and abroad. Highlights include the Busan International Film Festival, Busan International Rock Festival, Busan International Performing Arts Market, Busan International Food Expo and Busan Craft Beer Masters Challenge.

The Seven Bridge Tour, a cycling race across Busan's sea bridges, kicked off the festival on Sept. 21, followed by Fly Asia, Asia's largest startup fair, at BEXCO (Busan Exhibition and Convention Center) in Haeundae-gu District from Sept. 22-23. The Busan Craft Beer Masters Challenge (Sept. 20-24) is open daily at the outdoor plaza of Busan Cinema Center from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

From Sept. 24-28, the large-scale performing arts market will be held at Busan Cultural Center, the Busan Eurasia Platform and other venues in featuring over 100 performances by 600 artists from 15 countries. Over the same period, the food expo will offer samples of cuisines from all over the world.

The rock festival runs from Sept. 26-28 at Samnak Eco Park.

The schedule and information on participating in Festival Shiwol are on the event's official website (www.shiwol.com).

"Busan this year is showing its status as a global tourist city with over two million foreign tourists," Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said. "Festival Shiwol will be the catalyst to open the era of three million foreign tourists in our city."