Los Angeles! This Saturday, bring your family to Little Tokyo for the Japanese American National Museum's first annual Natsumatsuri Family Festival. The summer celebration starts at 11:00 am and goes until 5:00 pm, and includes cultural performances, demonstrations, activities, and crafts. Here's more info:
2013 Natsumatsuri Family FestivalThe event is free! For more information, click here.
FREE ALL DAY!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
11AM – 5PM
The Japanese American National Museum is pleased to present its 15th Annual Natsumatsuri Family Festival on Saturday, August 10, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. One of the Museum's most popular and well-attended family events, the Festival features a slate of unique cultural crafts, activities, and performances in conjunction with Little Tokyo's 2013 Nisei Week festivities. The event is free and open to the public.
This year the Festival premieres under its official new name, Natsumatsuri Family Festival, as it blends the old and new by setting customary Japanese obon festival activities alongside contemporary ones. Historically, obon is an important Japanese tradition in which many believe that their ancestors' spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with their family. Originally celebrated around the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, it is typically celebrated around August 15 for a three-day period. The customs and dates followed vary from region to region. In the United States, Japanese American communities have continued the obon tradition with family festivities held throughout the summer months such as Little Tokyo's Nisei Week celebration.