The Japanese Friendship Garden (JFG) is proud to announce the inaugural Tanabata Festival! Originating from Chinese folklore, Tanabata is a holiday that celebrates the meeting of two deities that are separated by the Milky Way. The festival will continue to combine both cultural education with family fun by being host to various activity booths, delectable festival foods and tea, cultural performances and demonstrations, beer & sake, and opportunities to participate in popular Tanabata customs such as creating kazari - colorful decorations made to be hung on bamboo with different meanings such as good health and “catching” good fortune.
Large fukinagashi kazari (streamer type decorations) from Sendai, Japan will be on display at JFG’s lower garden for guests’ viewing pleasure and will be able for “adoption”. JFG encourages individuals and organizations to become a kazari “host” to display the fukinagashi kazari outdoor after Tanabata Festival in hopes to create a traveling display of fukinagashi kazari to enhance community engagement and connect those with shared interests!
Scheduled
Japanese Street Food: Taste Beer, Sake, Tea, family friendly activities.. 

Festival Prices
Pre-sale tickets to JFG’s Tanabata Festival are available online until Saturday 06 July. All pre-sale tickets include a Festival Pass that is made up of a JFG map, festival programs schedule, scavenger hunt, and nine (9) activity tickets redeemable at certain activity booths. Please note that pre-sale tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable after 5:00 PM on 30 June, 2019. Tanabata Festival pre-sale tickets are priced as: 

General … $16 | Student, military, senior (65+) … $14*

Admission and Festival Passes will also be available at the door, separately, day of Tanabata Festival. Admission without a Tanabata Festival Pass can be purchased online while individual Festival Passes will only be available at the door, day of Tanabata Festival for $4/Festival Pass.

*Proper ID must be presented with a printed or digtal ticket when entering Tanabata Festival. A student, military, or senior pre-sale ticket holder without proper ID when entering will have to pay the admission price difference.

For refunds, please contact JFG at 619-232-2721. All other festival inquiries can be e-mailed to events-marketing@niwa.org.