Opens Tomorrow: 4,000 Drones Over Gangneung Olympic Park, Free — the ITS World Congress
At 8 p.m. on Oct. 19, 4,000 drones take to the sky above Gangneung Olympic Park, and it costs nothing. The 'Olympics of transport' opens with 90 countries in town, and locals and travelers get a party of their own.
The transport Olympics comes to Gangneung
The 32nd ITS World Congress runs Oct. 19-23 in and around Gangneung Olympic Park. It is billed as the world's largest gathering on intelligent transport systems, with about 90 countries taking part.
Gangneung Convention Center, which opened in late August, hosts the ceremonies and academic sessions. All 434 exhibition booths are sold, and 449 papers and 193 sessions are confirmed.
4,000 drones, then stars on the ice
On opening night at 8 p.m., a drone light show of about 4,000 drones fills the sky over Olympic Park. On Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. an ice show follows at the Hockey Center, with national figure skaters Cha Jun-hwan and Lee Hae-in, the city says.
All side events for citizens and tourists are free.
What to do in the daytime
The outdoor plaza at Olympic Park gets a hanbok experience, kids' and teens' booths and a tech zone where you can try AI and self-driving. Local acts busk on the outdoor stage.
A local market, food trucks, a convenience store and a rest zone mean you can eat while you wander. Live demos of advanced transport tech run around the Hockey Center parking lot.
Getting into the exhibition
The technology exhibition is at the Speed Skating Oval. It is free if you register in advance on the congress's official website. Technology-tour and ITS-experience slots closed early.
The Gangneung Coffee Festival runs the same week, so you can pair the global event with a local one.
Before you go
The drone show happens on opening day only, and the ice show on Oct. 22 only. Programs and times can change, so check the congress's official notices once more.
When crowds and event vehicles peak at Olympic Park, public transport is the easier way in.
Sources & context
2026-10-18T03:15:09.376Z
CBS NoCut News · report on preparations for the Gangneung ITS World Congress (Sept. 7, 2026) ↗MTN · D-30 report on the Gangneung ITS World Congress (Sept. 21, 2026) ↗Financial News · report on Gangwon's October pick (Oct. 6, 2026) ↗Gangneung Convention Center, the congress's main venue, with the Olympic Park arenas around it. Photo: courtesy of Gangneung City