As summer temperatures rise across the capital, Seoul is offering residents and travelers an expansive escape right in the heart of the city.

Starting Saturday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will kick off the "2026 Hangang Festival - Summer," turning the banks and waters of the Han River into a sprawling, 16-day urban resort designed for budget-friendly summer getaways.

Running through Aug. 16 across nine riverfront parks, the annual festival features 16 distinct programs spanning cultural performances, water sports and overnight events. By leveraging the city's primary liquid asset, municipal authorities aim to provide accessible recreation without the hassle or expense of long-distance travel.

"The Han River has historically served as a cherished summer retreat for Seoul residents, offering a place for river bathing and boating," said Park Jin-young, head of Seoul’s Future Hangang Project Headquarters. "Through this summer's festival, we hope visitors enjoy a diverse mix of cultural shows and water activities while boosting local businesses around the waterfront."

Among the festival’s most anticipated highlights is the city’s inaugural water drone show near Yanghwa Bridge. On Saturday and Sunday, a fleet of 25 autonomous surface drones will perform choreographed light-and-water displays synchronized to live jazz and K-pop covers. Downstream at the Nanji infinity pool, swimmers can attend sunset aquatic concerts featuring live DJ sets, hip-hop and rock performances.

The festival also reimagines the riverbanks after dark.

On Aug. 8 at Mangwon Hangang Park, night owls can participate in an all-night marathon screening session. Attendees can binge-watch classic Korean television dramas like "Coffee Prince" and late-night horror films while eating riverfront instant noodles, playing board games or browsing a night market featuring fresh peaches brought directly from farms in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province. Elsewhere along the river, partygoers wearing wireless headphones will gather beneath the Mapo Bridge for quiet, late-night "silent disco" dance parties held every Saturday.

Daytime activities lean heavily into participation and heritage.

At the Jamsil pool complex on Aug. 8 and 9, visitors can watch performances by masters of "jultagi" — traditional Korean tightrope walking, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — performed directly over the water. On Aug. 15, teams will construct homemade watercraft out of inner tubes and bamboo to race 100 meters across the river in a lighthearted competition to retrieve floating replicas of seasonal summer fruits.

Throughout the fortnight, water sports operators along the river will offer paddleboarding, kayaking, yacht tours and river cruises at discounts of up to 50 percent, ensuring that visitors of all ages can find an accessible way to beat the heat.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.