The Bon Festival returns to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Saturday, August 18. An homage to the traditional obon festival in Japan, it's a tradition meant to remember and honor one's ancestors. The highlight of the festival is the sight of hundreds of paper lanterns that will be lit and set to float on Morikami Lake.
It's so beautiful, in fact, that the weight of its own popularity was crushing it. Around 9,000 guests came through the front gates of Morikami last year, and frankly, that was simply too many people for comfort.
This year the organizers have limited the ticket sales and they will
only be sold online, not at the gate. So, if you went last year and were
put off by the overwhelming crowd, don't worry about it this time.
Not
only will you enjoy fewer people, this year there will also be more to
eat. At the Ennichi Street Fair, meant to replicate an authentic
Japanese street fair, there will be traditional foods that you'd find at
any authentic street fair in Japan; roasted corn, popcorn, shaved ice,
cotton candy, candy apples, fried noodles and chocolate covered bananas.
The street fair will also be populated by number of vendors hawking
their wares from O.K.O Bonsai to the Orchid Tea Room.
Bon Odori
or the traditional Bon Dance will be performed on the Yagura Stage at
4:45, 5:45, and 7:15 p.m. and the Taiko Drum Performance by Fushu Daiko
and featuring students from South Florida Taiko Dojo will take place at
5, 6:30, and 8 p.m.
Also new this year will be an interactive
explanation -- with prizes -- of the history and tradition of the obon
festival at 4:30, 5:30, 6, 7, and 7:30 p.m. on the Matsuri Stage with
the museum's educational staff.
The big event of the evening, of
course, will be the floating of lit paper lanterns on Morikami Lake.
This will take place at 8:30 p.m. followed by the fireworks display at 9
p.m.
Tickets can only be purchased online at morikami.org.
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