Nihonmachi Little Friends (NLF), a community based Japanese bilingual and multicultural non-profit childcare organization, is presenting their annual theater production and auction, “Dowa no Omatsuri: A Festival of Children’s Stories” on Sunday, February 25, 2018. The event takes place at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, 3301 Lyon Street in San Francisco.

Well-known community personalities Ms. June-ko Nakagawa and Mr. Benh Nakajo are serving as co-hosts for the program. The show features GenRyu Arts and the students of NLF. The preschoolers’ performances of “Ookina Kabu” and “L.O.V.E.” will showcase the creativity of the children and teachers. The elementary school-age children of the After School Program are staging “America’s Street Performers,” a make-believe reality t.v. show. The silent auction begins at 12pm in the lobby preceding the 1:30pm theater show, with live entertainment provided by “The JoRoBoMoLo Brothers,” a local group who combine Bluegrass, Americana, folk, and rock to celebrate the musical diversity of their backgrounds. A raffle and refreshments in the lobby will follow the theater performance.

NLF has been providing quality childcare, educational programs and services for preschoolers through elementary school-age children and their families since 1975. Full and part day schedules are offered to over 200 children annually with a Japanese bilingual and multicultural emphasis. Through government subsidies and sliding fee scales, affordable services are available to all families. The construction of the preschool building addition to its historic Issei Women’s Building at 1830 Sutter Street was completed in May of 2017, and on-going fundraising is continuing through its Plant a Seed Capital Campaign. More information can be found on NLF’s website at www.nlfchildcare.org.

Tickets to the event are $30 in advance, (2 or more are $25 each), or $40 at the door for adults. Youth 5 to 17 years are $10; and children four years and under are free. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the programs and operations of NLF. For more information on the event, contact NLF at (415) 922-8898 or email at nlfchildcare@gmail.com.