Local governments face challenges in organizing summer water festivals in the south
The Geoje City government in South Gyeongsang Province decided to cancel the anticipated “Geoje Summer Marine Festival” slated for the 26th and 27th in light of the nationwide destructive floods to contribute to restoration efforts. As a result, the festivities were deferred, making room for activities supporting rehabilitation from the catastrophic aftermath caused by the floods. The announcement of the event’s cancellation was made through a banner displayed to inform the public of the change in plans.
Local municipalities have been facing dilemmas in organizing summer aquatic events in the wake of the severe downpours in the southern regions. A conflict arose between the ideology of “self-restraint theory,” promoting solidarity with flood-affected areas, and the countering “reality theory,” aiming to rejuvenate the stagnating local business sectors. The divergent views on how to handle the festivals contrast with the unified response seen earlier in the year when many local governments opted to cancel or postpone spring festivals due to widespread forest fires in the Yeongnam region back in March.
In the current context, the decision-making process regarding the summer festivals varies depending on the extent and impact of damage sustained by each locality. Geoje and Tongyeong, neighboring cities in South Gyeongsang Province, exemplify this disparity in responses. Despite no direct flood consequences, Geoje City proceeded with an unexpected cancellation of the ‘Geoje Summer Marine Festival.’ Concomitantly, only select activity events are maintained, concentrating on pre-registered participants for a more intimate family-oriented experience to alleviate economic strains on the local businesses.
On the contrary, Tongyeong City confirmed its adherence to the planned night tourism festival ‘K-Nightlight’ on the same day. Although adjustments may be made to scale down the event’s size, Tongyeong City’s decision upholds the festival to stimulate cultural tourism projects and boost local economic vigor. Furthermore, the city of Mokpo in Jeollanam-do reaffirms its commitment to hosting the Mokpo Marine W Show as originally scheduled, citing minimal direct damage and extensive consultations held with local merchants and stakeholders in the tourism industry.
Meanwhile, certain localities faced public backlash prompting them to virtually cancel ongoing festivals due to criticisms from residents over the events’ perceived insensitivity. For instance, Gwangju Gwangsan-gu District opted to postpone the ‘Mwangsan Water Rock Festival’ following widespread opposition. The festival was designed to offer summer water activities like celebrity performances, water gun contests, and children’s pool sessions but was deemed inappropriate given the massive property and human life losses in neighboring regions.
Against this backdrop, the response of local governments to emergencies like floods contrasts with previous crises such as forest fires from March. While wildfires posed a high-risk due to strong winds and scorching temperatures across the Yeongnam region, the heavy rainfall induced damage nationwide, allowing some areas to resume normalcy rapidly. Analysts believe this difference in disaster magnitude implies greater latitude for autonomous decision-making by local authorities.
Notably, the nature of festivals plays a significant role in the varying strategies implemented by different regions. Spring festivals, typically cultural and performance-based, convey different economic meanings compared to summer water festivals that are more tourism-focused, supporting the local economy and attracting vacationers. Local governments view festivals as key instruments to revitalize tourism and hospitality industries, especially given the economic downturn due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Furthermore, administrative responses also impact how local governments approach festivals during emergencies. While central and regional organizations provided guidelines and support during the forest fires outbreak in March, similar directives were notably absent following the flood aftermath. The ongoing public discourse surrounding this season’s festivals continues to provoke debate among residents questioning the appropriateness of enjoying water events amidst the recent tragedies. Conversely, local merchants push back against festival cancellations in regions spared from direct damage, compelling experts to call for greater public engagement in determining the fate of such events in disaster-stricken areas.