The Daikin Festival returns to Point Mallard, May 3, 2024, from 6:30pm until 9pm. It’s a homegrown version of Bon Odori – Japanese summer festivals that have been celebrated for hundreds of years.
As always, Daikin Festival is family-friendly, free of charge and even includes your food and drink.
The Festival features live music, Taiko drumming, Japanese Folk Dancing, Shodo (Japanese calligraphy), Yakisoba (grilled buckwheat noodles with beef and special sauce), BBQ, pizza, refreshing drinks, and special prizes. And it all ends with a magical fireworks show.
Maybe you’re wondering what Bon Odori is and why such a festival with roots in the solemn occasion of remembering one’s ancestors is so festive and fun.
One reason: traditional dancing. A Bon Odori festival is a time for people young and old to come together under brightly-lit lanterns and “dance the evening away” to the sounds of Taiko drums. Our Daikin Taiko Team are experts at performing this traditional instrument and they’ll get you energized for dancing.
It turns out that when people of different nations and cultures come together to dance, they become closer and understand more about each other. That’s what the Daikin Festival has always been about: bringing together a diverse audience of people from the community in a spirit of harmony.
In Japan, Bon Odori is most often held in July or August, though dates vary widely in East and Southeast Asia. Here in Decatur, our version of Bon Odori will be held at Point Mallard on May 3 from 6:30pm until 9:00pm.
So, get ready to dance at a fun family event—Daikin Festival 2024!
#
To learn even more about Bon Odori and its history, visit ab4.us/BonOdoriInfo