Chungcheongnam-do

▲ Gongju Seokjangni World Paleolithic Festival 2018 held at Seokjangni Museum and the surrounding areas

A paleolithic festival where all family members can enjoy the paleolithic culture of the world in May, the Family Month, was held in Seokjang-ri, Gongju-si, the center of paleolithic culture in Korea.

Gongju-si successfully hosted the Gongju Seokjangni World Paleolithic Festival for four days from May 4 to 7 at Seokjangni Museum and the surrounding areas. Held under the theme, "The paleolithic center coming into the world!," this year's festival is differentiated from that of the past in an effort to develop into a global festival of history and culture by introducing characteristic experience-type programs, lighting installations to enhance the night view and exciting Paleolithic Parade.

The special exhibition of Neanderthal men, which was held for the first time in Korea, attracted great attention by displaying around 60 relics of Neanderthal men from the Ice Age along with a variety of experience-type events.

At Seokjangni World, the Paleolithic Experience Zone of four countries that included Germany, Japan, France and Morocco, was opened where visitors enjoyed demonstrations by restoration experts and experienced restoration of paleolithic relics in person. They also tried their hand at making stone tools from overseas countries.

The Paleolithic Parade, which energetically expressed the Paleolithic era, was a participation-type program. It was staged as a high-quality performance through participation by students and staff members from overseas countries to befit the name of the festival, "World Paleolithic Festival."
At night, magnificent oil lamps embroidered the Geumgang River and light installations beautifully lit up the event site.

In addition, the further enhanced night programs drew in a larger number of nighttime visitors than last year, proving the potential of this festival to encourage the long-term stay of visitors. In addition to the floating bridge as well as around 20 oil lamps and 150 small yellow sailboats on the Geumgang River, lighting installations in the four themes of Colorful Starlit Garden, Family Zone, Moonlight Trail and Animals' Playground of Fantasy created a beautiful night view.

Other programs including the Children's Day event, National Children's Painting Contest, a rural experience program, Senior Citizens' Exercise Contest and a contest of residents' voluntary programs further enriched the festival.