Looking for something fun to do this weekend? You’re in luck because this Saturday, June 29th, GVJCI will be hosting its annual Matsuri Fundraiser! This time around we are celebrating over 70 years of Matsuri with the theme “Celebrating Community Traditions.” This theme encapsulates the best of our Matsuri Fundraiser, with old favorite events and new cultural activities that are sure to be a blast. Here are 5 things you can look forward to at this year’s Matsuri Fundraiser!
1. Performances
We can’t have Matsuri without an abundance of incredible cultural performances! This year we will have showcases of taiko, hula dancing, ukulele, and traditional Japanese singing, dancing, and music. Performances will be happening throughout the entire day, so be sure to stop by and appreciate the talent of all of our wonderful entertainers!
2. Demonstrations
In addition to our outdoor performing arts, we will have demonstrations of different martial arts styles and cultural arts inside our main hall and classrooms. For our martial arts, we will have demonstrations from the Gardena Judo Club and Gardena Kendo as well as classes on Naginata, traditional Japanese sword wielding, and Kyudo Renmei, Japanese archery. What’s more, we will have two new cultural arts demonstrations this year in our 2nd floor classrooms, Sangetsu Ikebana and Japanese Tea Ceremony. You don’t want to miss all of these spectacular events, so be sure to check out our Matsuri schedule to see what time each demonstration will be taking place!
3. Delicious Food
I know I’m not the only one looking forward to chowing down on some amazing food! All of our food is prepped and made by our lovely volunteers just before matsuri in order to deliver our attendees with the best freshly made dishes. Look forward to festival food like hot dogs, chili dogs, and shaved ice as well as traditional Japanese dishes such as udon, Spam musubi, Okinawa andagi, and more!
4. Games and Prizes
Fun for both kids and adults, this year we boast an astounding six Matsuri games to play and win prizes! In addition to our carnival games, we will also have bingo and a raffle that are open to all. Since our matsuri is cashless this year, a great way to prepare for all of these fantastic games is to visit the GVJCI office to purchase coupon books ahead of time. The books are $20.00 each and contain ten $2.00 scrips that can be used at all Matsuri booths. As a bonus, each coupon comes with one raffle ticket that can be used for a chance to win one of our fabulous prizes. Personally, I’ll be crossing my fingers to win our grand raffle prize of a family four pack to a 2024 Dodger game!
5. Sales
One thing I can’t resist everytime I visit Matsuri is spending lots of money! Scattered about our Matsuri Fundraiser we will have a white elephant sale, an outdoor plant sale, and a senior craft sale. Our craft sale features a variety of handiwork lovingly made by our Tomo No Kai (GVJCI’s Senior Friendship Club) crafters, and our white elephant sale holds a treasure trove of trinkets and items donated by members of our community. Plus, don’t worry if you don’t have experience caring for plants; our outdoor plant sale is run by a group of nursery experts who can answer any questions you may have about proper plant care!
We are so excited to share all of these amazing activities and more with you this Saturday, June 29th! Our staff and volunteers have been hard at work for months in order to create an experience that you won’t forget. These are just a few of the many things we have planned for our Matsuri fundraiser. Click here to view a detailed itinerary of our festival!
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