Hundreds of martial artists from across the United States and overseas are expected to gather at Finger Lakes Community College next month for the 2026 Great Lakes Tournament, a large-scale Kuk Sool Won competition featuring performers and competitors ranging from beginner students to Korean masters.
The biennial event will take place June 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at FLCC in Canandaigua, with organizers promising continuous action across a dozen competition rings throughout the day.
The tournament will feature traditional Kuk Sool Won forms, sparring matches, board breaking, weapons demonstrations, and master-level exhibitions. Organizers said competitors will demonstrate a range of techniques emphasizing athleticism, striking, joint locks, and traditional Korean martial arts disciplines.
Participants are expected from multiple states and countries, including schools from the Netherlands, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Iowa, Missouri, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio, alongside local schools from Williamson, Ontario, and Wolcott.
Kuk Sool Won of Williamson founder Gary Evarts, a ninth-degree black belt, is among the event organizers. The martial art was founded in South Korea in 1958 by Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh and incorporates a broad range of traditional Korean fighting styles and weapons training.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for spectators, while children younger than 5 will be admitted free. Food vendors will also be on site during the event.
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