CRESTVIEW — Martial arts enthusiasts and instructors from around the country and abroad are heading here this weekend for the 2014 Korean Martial Arts Festival.
The three-day festival, hosted by Gordon Martial Arts, will feature instructors like Geoff Booth from Australia and Inwan Kim, grandmasters in Korean Martial Arts who have 10th-degree black belts.
Tom Gordon, the host school's owner, will be among 16 instructors teaching various Korean martial arts techniques including taekwondo and Hapkido, among others. In addition to networking, the festival allows enthusiasts to learn from each other in a positive environment, he said.
The festival has brought international attention to Crestview, earning praise from numerous national martial arts publications. In 2012, Black Belt Magazine named the event one of "10 Must Do Martial Arts events."
Last year, the TaeKwondo Times called it the "must-attend event of the year."
More than 100 participants are expected to participate in the Friday, Saturday and Sunday festival, which, for the first time, will take place at Warriors Hall Auditorium, Gordon said.
"We did previously have it at the (Gordon Martial Arts) school, but we outgrew it," Gordon said. "It's a good problem to have."
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Korean Martial Arts Festival brings international attention to Crestview