Traditional Korean music, games, dance and food will be featured during the third annual Chuseok festival in St. Louis on September 24th and September 25th. The Gateway Korea Foundation is hosting the events, which includes cultural activities such as Korean folk games and crafts, Taekwondo martial arts demonstrations, and calligraphy. A traditional dance group from South Korea will also perform.
New to the festival this year is a free Sunday family event at the St. Louis Art Museum that includes learning the Korean alphabet, story-telling, games and a dance performance.
Chuseok means "the great middle (of autumn)" and is a major harvest festival and a three-day holiday in Korea. Chuseok is a celebration of the good harvest, when Korean families visit ancestral hometowns, enjoy song, dance and folk games, and share a feast of traditional foods.
One of the founders of the Gateway Korea Foundation, Young-Hie Nahm Kromm, was raised in Korea and says the festival offers the public a chance to immerse themselves in her homeland’s 4,000-year old culture. “Our goal is to share the many beautiful aspects of Korean culture so that people here can learn about and even embrace some of Korea’s traditional values such as being mindful of our limited natural resources, and being artful in the presentation of food,” she said.
Dr. Han Ko, a board member of the Foundation, is the chairperson of the Chuseok festival committee. He said last year’s event drew families and people of all ages. “We want to share our special Korean traditions with people from St. Louis so they can learn more about our culture. The festival offers something for everyone, so we hope to see a great turnout,” he said.
A favorite Chuseok dish is Kimchi, also spelled Kimchee or Gimchi, which is a traditional Korean side dish made of vegetables with a variety of spicy seasonings. Other foods that will be offered include Bulgogi, Song Pyon and bar-be-cued meats.
Saturday, Sept. 24
Traditional food, holiday costumes, games, dance and music.
12 Noon – 4 p.m.
McGrath Elementary School - auditorium and school grounds
2350 St Clair, Brentwood, MO 63144
Admission: Free
Dance performance by Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Brentwood High School
2221 High School Drive, Brentwood, MO 63144
Admission: $10 suggested donation.
Sunday, Sept. 25
Cultural activities, stories, games and dance.
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
St. Louis Art Museum
One Fine Arts Drive - Forest Park
St. Louis, MO 63110
Admission: Free