Obon Festival

When

Where

Description

Join the ABQ BioPark and Albuquerque Sister Cities Foundation for a night of Japanese arts and culture celebrating Obon in the Sasebo Japanese Garden. Enjoy Japanese cuisine and refreshments while you observe traditional tea ceremony, Taiko drumming, bonsai, Ikebana displays, and more from our community partners! Make your own Origami crane to hang in our bamboo grove with the North American Japanese Garden Association’s Gardens for Peace, and honor your loved ones with a lantern, or toro nagashi, set afloat on the pond.

Advance tickets are highly recommended. Event tickets include one floating lantern and access to the High Desert Rose Garden, Heritage Farm, and Japanese Garden. All other areas will be closed, and some paths will close at 8:30 pm for safety. The Obon Festival occurs rain or shine. You will receive an e-ticket that can be scanned at the entrance to the event. Gates open at 6:30 pm and last entry is 8 pm. 

Activities, Demonstrations, and Performances 

High Desert Rose Garden

• 7 pm: Opening Procession from Rose Garden Breezeway to Sasebo Japanese Garden Pond Deck, with Bushido Kenyukai

High Desert Rose Garden - Atrium

• 7 pm-9 pm: Ikebana display, with Ikebana Artists of New Mexico
• 7 pm-9 pm: Bonsai display, with Albuquerque Bonsai Club
• 7 pm-8:30 pm: Story Time

Sasebo Japanese Garden

• Discover Obon and Discover Koi Discovery Stations, with BioPark Education
• Sumi-e Painting Station
• Haiku Writing Station
• Photo Spot
• Lantern Launch
• Food & Drink Stand

Sasebo Japanese Garden - Pond Deck

• Food & Drink Stand
• 6:30 pm: New Mexico Taiko

The New Mexico Taiko group was founded in 1981 through the New Mexico Japanese American Citizen’s league as an annual event for the Omatsuri festival held in Albuquerque. At this time the Omatsuri was a time for ethnic Japanese and Japanese-Americans of New Mexico to celebrate their heritage and share it with the greater community.

• 7:20 pm: Bon Odori (Traditional Dance) 
• 8 pm: Taiko Drums, with Bushido Kenyukai

Sasebo Japanese Garden - Bamboo Grove

• Origami cranes

Heritage Farm - Farmhouse

• 6:45 pm: Story Time
• 6:45 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:15 pm: Tea Ceremony, with Chado Urasenke Tankokai New Mexico Association

A Japanese tea ceremony is a ceremonial way of preparing and drinking green tea.

• Food & Drink Stand
• Lantern Pick Up & Decorating

Price