The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) and the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) will celebrate Korea's most cherished traditional holiday at the 2025 Chuseok Family Festival on Saturday, October 4. The event, which has become a signature program since its inception in 2023, is expected to attract between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors of all ages for a comprehensive day of Korean cultural experiences.
This year's festival will feature a groundbreaking first-ever introduction and live demonstration of ssireum, traditional Korean wrestling, in Washington D.C., presented by the Korea Ssireum Association. The event will run from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, located at 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Attendees can enjoy live traditional and K-Pop performances, dance workshops, Korean fashion photo booths, unique cultural heritage displays, and hands-on arts and crafts activities.
The ssireum demonstrations will take place in Gallery 30 of the East Building (Arthur M. Sackler Gallery), with photo displays running throughout the day from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Demonstration matches are scheduled for 11:00-11:20 AM, 12:30-12:50 PM, and 2:30-2:50 PM. Hands-on workshops will be offered from 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, 12:50-2:00 PM, and 2:50-4:00 PM. Workshop participants will be selected through an on-site raffle and must sign safety waivers per museum regulations, with participation potentially limited.
The festival's musical programming will feature K-Pop music and activities at Freer Plaza (West Building Plaza), including music sets by DJ Taeon Lee and performances and workshops by N2 Studios throughout the day. Traditional music and dance performances will take place in the Meyer Auditorium of the West Building, showcasing Korean Traditional Dance and Drumming by Di Dim Sae Korean Traditional Art Institute from 1:30-2:00 PM. This performance will present Giwonmu (Ritual Dance), Mega Drum Performance, Burna Spin, Hwaraengi Chum (solo dance), and Samgomu (Drum Dance) under the direction of Soo Kyung Jung.
Additional traditional performances include a Samulnori Traditional Percussion Ensemble by Washington Samulnori from 2:10-2:40 PM, presenting Samdo Sul Changgo Garak and Samdo Nongak Garak under Director Sebastian Wang. The program will conclude with Korean Folk and American Old-time Fusion music by Global String Band JOOL from 3:00-3:40 PM, featuring Yoona Kim and Sammy Wetstein with the Korean ajaeng (bowed zither).
Cultural displays and activities will run throughout the day, including a life-size Charye (ancestral rites table) in the North Corridor of the West Building (Freer Gallery of Art), and a Korea Ssireum Association photo display in Gallery 30 of the East Building. Visitors can participate in crafts, coloring activities, and traditional fan decorating in the West Building's South Corridor, as well as take photos in traditional Hanbok clothing at a photo booth located in Gallery 27 (Flex Space) of the East Building.
Chuseok, also known as Hangawi or Korean Thanksgiving, represents one of Korea's most important and beloved holidays. For many Koreans, it serves as a time to return home, reconnect with family and loved ones, and express gratitude for life's blessings. The holiday traditionally falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, coinciding with the year's largest full moon, which signals the end of harvest season and a time for reflection and ancestral appreciation.
The celebration traditionally includes elaborate feasts featuring songpyeon (half-moon shaped rice cakes), yakgwa (deep-fried, honey-soaked wheat confections), jeon (savory pancakes of meat, fish, or vegetables), and baekju (herb-infused rice wine) or shindoju (newly-made rice liquor). Many families maintain the tradition of Charye, visiting ancestral gravesites for Seongmyo to bow and present symbolic offerings of favorite foods or drinks, often while wearing traditional Hanbok clothing.
The event is co-presented by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C., the Korea Ssireum Association, and the National Museum of Asian Art, with generous support provided by the National Museum of Korea. This collaborative effort represents a significant cultural exchange opportunity, allowing American audiences to experience authentic Korean traditions while celebrating the values of family, gratitude, and cultural heritage that define Chuseok.
