Colorado Springs Korean Festival celebrates culture at America the Beautiful Park

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A local festival was back for its second year, in a new location after its popular debut.

The Colorado Springs Korean Festival took place on Saturday, Sept. 12, at America the Beautiful Park. The festival is put on by the Korean American Association of Southern Colorado. The group says the event is about celebrating Korean culture, food and community.

This year, the group says they had to move to a new space because last year's event was such a success.

"Korean culture is gaining popularity these days, and we're hoping to utilize those benefits," Andrew Kim from the Korean American Society of Southern Colorado said. "Unite the people here in Colorado Springs and even anyone in Colorado."

The event had a special theme this year: "K-Pop Fandom Experience," and featured all-day K-pop performances, traditional Korean dance and competitions, according to the event's website.

It also featured a K-Marketplace, where attendees could learn more about Korean foods, lifestyle and culture.

The event was well attended, too, featuring appearances from Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade and Sen. John Hickenlooper.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.