What to expect at 2026 Korea Festa in Huntington Station

America has become obsessed with Korean culture. Whether it be on TV ("Squid Game"), music (BTS) or movies ("K-pop Demon Hunters"), Korea is turning into the hot spot for all things cool. Elements of the country come together at Korea Festa, held Sept. 5 through 7 at the Mahanaim school in Huntington.

"Korea is the new wave of the east," event organizer Daniel Oh says. "It’s exotic, but also accessible."

Korea Festa happens twice a year, at the end of spring and summer. The event, which organizers say draws 3,000 people each day, takes place indoors and outdoors. "Korea Festa is an injection of Korean culture in a predominantly non-Korean place," Oh says. "This event serves as a gateway. It is constantly renewing itself based on what’s happening at the moment."

Here are five Korean elements to experience during a visit to Korea Festa.

TASTE THE FOOD

All the food at Korea Festa  is made by congregants of Huntington's Good News New York Church, one of the event sponsors. 

"The chefs are the old-school Korean ladies who know how to cook from years of feeding their family," Oh says. "The menu is so diverse — we have everything from fried snacks to vegetarian options to pastries and desserts."

Savory dishes include: pajeon (scallion pancakes), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes, stir-fried and cooked in broth topped with a fish cake and an egg), japchae (stir-fried noodles with spinach, beef, carrots and mushrooms) and samgyupsal (grilled pork belly with a scallion green onion salad, radish and rice balls). Beverages are available to order like dalgona latte (made with burnt sugar), grapefruit ade with mango boba, limeade with lychee boba, and the event’s flagship drink, strawberry matcha.

For dessert, try hotteok (sweet pancakes), kkwabaegi (twisted doughnut), bungeoppang (red bean pastry) and the ever-popular bingsu, a frozen treat made with condensed milk snowflakes, ice cream, fresh fruit, red beans and mochi rice cakes.

ACTIVITIES TO JOIN

Games such as the Dalgona game, made famous on Netflix's "Squid Game — " where the challenge is to carve a shape (star, circle, triangle or umbrella) into a sugar cookie without breaking it — will be ongoing. Play a round of Jegichagi, which, like hacky sack, involves kicking a shuttlecock-like toy (jengi) into the air without letting it hit the ground.

Korean-style wrestling is about sitting on your bottom, putting your hands through your legs and grabbing your thighs, then trying to knock people over with your feet. Those who are daring can join Korean-style musical chairs using rock, paper, scissors, instead of chairs, to pass a ball around. Whoever is caught with the ball in the end gets a pie in the face.

WATCH PERFORMANCES

Dancers from the Memphis Belle team are set to perform on the outdoor stage throughout  the day. They range in age from middle school to college.

"We are going to be doing a lot of K-pop medleys," performance director Hayoung Yang says. "The energy is so hyped. It's something that goes back and forth between the dancers and the crowd."

The troupe will also demonstrate how to do some K-pop dance moves.

"We make it pretty simple by teaching some segments of a song so kids can follow along," Yang says. "I want everyone to really get involved in the spirit of the event."

SHOP AT KF SUPER

Before leaving, make sure to stop in at KF Super, the pop-up Korean convenience store that sells tough-to-find accessories, stationery, select apparel like hats and eco-bags plus dry snacks that you can't typically find in America.

"We brought some brands straight over from Korea specifically for the event," Oh says. "There’s even a do-it-yourself ramen station that is only available in Korea."

Photo-ops can also be taken at the Hanbok try-on where guests can pose while wearing a traditional Korean dress or suit.