OC Japan Fair returns to fairgrounds with free J-pop music fest, Freedom L.A.
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Locals looking for fun with a Far East flavor should head to the Orange County fairgrounds the first weekend of April as the OC Japan Fair returns with a slate of cultural activities, culinary delights and a nighttime lantern festival.
The three-day event beginning Friday, April 4, will feature all the fan favorites, from tea ceremonies and kimonos for sale in a recreation of Japan’s Nakamise shopping street to cultural demonstrations and 55 street food vendors, along with some new features.
This year’s fair will be held in conjunction with Freedom L.A., a J-pop music festival headlined by singer/songwriter MINMI and taking place on the Hangar concert stage. Admission is included with fair tickets.
Another new feature coming courtesy of Freedom L.A. will be the “release” on April 5 at 8 p.m. of paper lanterns, which will be safely strung with LED lights and kept grounded so people can take them home as keepsakes afterward.
Stephanie Yoshida, a spokeswoman for the event, said such a ceremony is common in many Asian cultures during a special occasion, such as a prayer or send-off intended to honor the dead. But the fair’s ceremony will have a slightly different message.
“[Organizers] wanted to have a wish for peace in the world,” she said.
Held for the past 15 years, the tradition has been gaining in popularity, attracting crowds of more than 40,000 visitors from throughout Orange County and beyond.
Some come to see time-honored traditions, such as taiko drumming, flower arranging and sake (rice wine) tasting, while others are drawn to the occasion’s pop cultural elements, like cosplay, anime and street fashion.
“It’s about making a connection and being a bridge between Japan and people in America,” Yoshida said Thursday. “Our main purpose is having people be interested in traveling to Japan. But even if they aren’t able to, they can enjoy a piece of it [here] and feel like they are in a Japanese festival.”
OC Japan Fair runs April 4-6 at the Orange County fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. Hours are from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Parking is $15 and general admission costs from $15-18. Children 6 and under and seniors over 65 are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased at oc-japanfair.com/ticket#ticket-info or with cash only at the event.
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