Heads Up for the Maui Matsuri 14th Annual Festival Celebration
Kick off the season with a festival of live entertainment, contests galore, craft booths and savory fresh delicious food. Check out Maui Matsuri 14th Annual Japanese festival. Maui Matsuri is one of the most notable cultural exhibits featuring educational activities, entertainment and food. All are designed to bring the community together to celebrate the Japanese American history, heritage and culture on Maui. The event is produced for the public by a volunteer team, and admission is free! Fun for the whole family! Don’t forget to bring your camera, a little spending cash and your dancing feet for Obon odori or bon dance (Japanese group dancing) underneath the stars.
The official theme of the festival is “kodomo no tame ni” which means “for the sake of the children.”
Maui Matsuri event has grown in popularity each year, and there are thousands of people that attend. Proceeds of the event go to the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui to support the work they do to preserve and perpetuate Japanese culture on Maui.
Maui Matsuri festivities begin:
Friday, May 2 is the kickoff event, featuring karaoke, taiko, kendama, obon odori (bon dance) practice, and more from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Queen Ka’ahumanu Mall center stage.
Friday, May 9 a storytelling night from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the University of Hawaii – Maui College student center (Pilina Building) in Kahului
Saturday, May 10 actual festival begins from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the University of Hawaii – Maui College great lawn or courtyard.
The festival website is www.mauimatsuri.com, and the official hashtag for the event is #MauiMatsuri.
Photo opportunity galore. There will be 2 Instagram contests this year, and the winners will receive free festival t-shirts, so be sure to like/follow Maui Matsuri on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to get all the contest announcements.
