OMATSURI – Volunteer 2024
Get Involved!
The “OMATSURI – Calgary Japanese Festival” wouldn’t exist without our dedicated and hardworking team of volunteers. We are currently recruiting volunteers (18+) for our 2024 Festival to be held on August 9th & 10th at Max Bell Centre and hope you will consider joining our team.
We welcome all volunteers regardless of background and invite you to “Get Involved” with this annual celebration of Japanese culture.
All we require is your time commitment (hours vary depending on shift), mandatory participation in a Volunteer Orientation evening (@7:00 PM, Thur, August 8th, 2024 at Max Bel Centre) and your willingness to pitch in where required. In exchange for your time, you will receive free entry on both days, a volunteer T-Shirt, and refreshments during your shift. This is a terrific opportunity to meet new people, experience Japanese culture, and help support the Japanese community in Calgary.
We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Friday, August 9th, 2024
- Friday Festival Setup involves 2 sites: Calgary Japanese Community Association center and the Max Bell Centre
- Setup times: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Night Market: 6:30 PM – 11:30 PM
Saturday, August 10th, 2024
- Setup & Festival: 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Festival & Tear Down: 1:30 PM – 7:30 PM or until cleanup is complete
We also need help on Sunday, August 11 to from 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM.
NOTE: Once the event is finalized, the shift times may be adjusted to the needs of the Team you are on.
We encourage all volunteers to use the LRT as parking will be limited at the event.
Volunteer Teams
ADMISSION
OVERVIEW
Admissions duties, outside area, must be able to stand and move comfortably.
DUTIES
Manage admissions outside, standing and moving required
SHIFTS
Fri Evening, Sat Morning, Sat Afternoon
NOTES
Outside area, ability to stand and move
KIDS' ZONE
OVERVIEW
Outside volunteer area, no shifts Friday evening.
DUTIES
Assist in children's activities, outside area
SHIFTS
Sat Morning, Sat Afternoon
NOTES
Outside volunteer area
CJCA COMMUNITY
OVERVIEW
Inside area, requires knowledge about CJCA or being on shift with knowledgeable volunteers, covering for each other over breaks. Legacy Project, Happi Coats/Event costumes/Lost and Found
DUTIES
Assist at CJCA table with various duties, inside area
SHIFTS
Fri Evening, Sat All Day
NOTES
Inside area, knowledge of CJCA preferred
ENTERTAINMENT
OVERVIEW
Assistance with stage setup and takedown, resetting stages, liaising with performers, ensuring schedule adherence.
DUTIES
Setup/takedown of stages, assist performers, manage equipment
SHIFTS
Fri Evening: 6pm-11:30pm, Sat: Multiple Shifts
NOTES
Direct interaction with performers, setup/takedown duties
SAKE & BEER GARDEN
OVERVIEW
Setup the sake/beer garden table, cashier duties, carrying sake/beer from refrigerator truck to booth, serving sake/beer (pro-serve certification required), cleanup.
DUTIES
Setup, cashier, carry and serve drinks, cleanup
SHIFTS
Fri Eve: 5:30pm-11pm, Sat Morning: 9am-1:30pm, Sat Afternoon: 1pm-5:30pm
NOTES
If you have AGLC pro-serve, please let us know in advance.
SITE OPERATIONS
OVERVIEW
Activities for setting up the Max Bell site, requires physical ability to lift and carry.
Activities for packing and removing festival equipment, requires physical ability. Transport and unloading of festival supplies, requires physical ability.
DUTIES
- set up of tents, canopies and small movable structures
- set up of tables, and chairs for both inside and outside vendor areas
- set up of all special signage, decorative materials, displays, lanterns and special lighting
- Calgary Japanese Community Association center (Friday time to be determined) - 6-10 people
- loading of all equipment for transport to the Max Bell Centre
- dismantling tents, canopies and movable structures
- tables and chairs stacked for pick up by supplier
- dismantling of all special signage, decorative materials, displays, lanterns and special lighting
- site clean-up
- transport and unloading of all festival supplies
SHIFTS
tbd
NOTES
Physical ability to lift 10 to 20 lbs required
VENDOR MANAGEMENT
OVERVIEW
Researching new vendors, contacting previous and new vendors, reviewing Vendor Contract, securing vendor spots, ensuring vendor needs are met.
DUTIES
Contact and meet vendors, review contracts, manage vendor needs
SHIFTS
Fri, Sat: During Event
NOTES
Contact previous and new vendors, manage vendor spaces
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT
OVERVIEW
Assist in PreFestival Volunteer preparations, Festival Volunteer Desk setup/takedown, Volunteer/Entertainment Check ins, provide general information support to the volunteers, organizing/helping with pizza event and distribution of Volunteer refreshments
DUTIES
PreFestival Preparations(T-shirt distributions, organizing Lanyards etc), Volunteer Check-ins on Festival Days, Set up and Take down of Festival Volunteer Center, provide general support to volunteers, Distributing refreshments at the Volunteer Meal Centre which also will involves its own setup and takedown
SHIFTS
Friday Set-Up and Check-In: 11:30am-6:00pm, Friday Evening Check-In: 4:30-8:30pm, Saturday morning: 6:45am-1:00pm, 1:00-7:00pm or until cleanup and volunteer wrap up is complete. Refreshment distribution shifts TBD for both festival days
NOTES
Flexible, Fast paced at check-in times and distribution, direct interaction with volunteers, organize pizza event
Volunteer Application Form
Omatsuri communicates primarily through email. Please check your email regularly and add omatsuri.volunteer@calgaryjca.com on your safe senders list as we have had occurrences where our emails were flagged as spam.
If you have any questions or concerns please send us an email to Omatsuri.Volunteer@calgaryjca.com
Road to OMATSURI
Road to OMATSURI #1
Sake x Food a perfect pairing served by Culinary experts Honjin Izakaya and Sake Master Sakegami
Date: May 4th, 2024 (Sat)
Time: 6pm-8pm (door opens at 5:30pm)
Location: CJCA – 2236 29 St SW, Calgary, AB T3E 2K2
OMATSURI – Vendor Application
Site map
Important Dates
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 (on or before)
Due Date for the Vendors and Exhibitors to notify the Vendor Management Committee of the status of the application. (Yes or No for participation)
Friday, May 31, 2024 (on or before)
Due Date for Vendors and Exhibitors to make payments upon Approval. Failure to meet this deadline will be considered delinquent and may result in the forfeiture of the rental space which will then be reassigned.
Saturday, June 15, 2024 (on or before)
Last Day to cancel Agreement with written notice in order to receive a full refund.
Friday, August 9, 2024: Festival Day 1
- Outdoor Night Market set-up: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Open to Public: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Takedown starting at 10:30 PM
Saturday, August 10, 2024: Festival Day 2
- Check-in: 7:00 AM – 8:45 AM (final set-up to be completed by 9:00 AM)
- Open to Public: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Take-down/Move-out: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Virtual Meeting with the Vendors/Exhibitors and the Vendor Management Committee Time: TBD
Vendor application
If you would like to become a vendor, please email us at omatsuri.vendors@calgaryjca.com
Food Vendors
Vendors who sells food, please complete the AHS form
OMATSURI – Volunteer
Get Involved!
The “OMATSURI – Calgary Japanese Festival” wouldn’t exist without our dedicated and hardworking team of volunteers. We are currently recruiting volunteers (18+) for our 2025 Festival to be held on July 18th & 19th at Max Bell Centre and hope you will consider joining our team.
We welcome all volunteers regardless of background and invite you to “Get Involved” with this annual celebration of Japanese culture.
All we require is your time commitment (hours vary depending on shift), mandatory participation in a Volunteer Orientation evening (@7:00 PM, Thur, July 17th, 2025 at Max Bel Centre) and your willingness to pitch in where required. In exchange for your time, you will receive free entry on both days, a volunteer T-Shirt, and refreshments during your shift. This is a terrific opportunity to meet new people, experience Japanese culture, and help support the Japanese community in Calgary.
We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Friday, July 18th, 2025
- Friday Festival Setup involves 2 sites: Calgary Japanese Community Association center and the Max Bell Centre
- Setup times: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Night Market: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday, July 19th, 2025
- Setup & Festival: 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Festival & Tear Down: 1:30 PM – 7:30 PM or until cleanup is complete
We also need help on Sunday, July 20th to from 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM.
NOTE: Once the event is finalized, the shift times may be adjusted to the needs of the Team you are on.
We encourage all volunteers to use the LRT as parking will be limited at the event.
Volunteer Teams
ADMISSION
OVERVIEW
Admissions duties, outside area, must be able to stand and move comfortably.
DUTIES
Manage admissions outside, standing and moving required
SHIFTS
Fri Evening, Sat Morning, Sat Afternoon
NOTES
Outside area, ability to stand and move
KIDS' ZONE
OVERVIEW
Outside volunteer area, no shifts Friday evening.
DUTIES
Assist in children's activities, outside area
SHIFTS
Sat Morning, Sat Afternoon
NOTES
Outside volunteer area
CJCA COMMUNITY
OVERVIEW
Inside area, requires knowledge about CJCA or being on shift with knowledgeable volunteers, covering for each other over breaks. Legacy Project, Happi Coats/Event costumes/Lost and Found
DUTIES
Assist at CJCA table with various duties, inside area
SHIFTS
Fri Evening, Sat All Day
NOTES
Inside area, knowledge of CJCA preferred
ENTERTAINMENT
OVERVIEW
Assistance with stage setup and takedown, resetting stages, liaising with performers, ensuring schedule adherence.
DUTIES
Setup/takedown of stages, assist performers, manage equipment
SHIFTS
Fri Evening: 6pm-11:30pm, Sat: Multiple Shifts
NOTES
Direct interaction with performers, setup/takedown duties
SAKE & BEER GARDEN
OVERVIEW
Setup the sake/beer garden table, cashier duties, carrying sake/beer from refrigerator truck to booth, serving sake/beer (pro-serve certification required), cleanup.
DUTIES
Setup, cashier, carry and serve drinks, cleanup
SHIFTS
Fri Eve: 5:30pm-11pm, Sat Morning: 9am-1:30pm, Sat Afternoon: 1pm-5:30pm
NOTES
If you have AGLC pro-serve, please let us know in advance.
SITE OPERATIONS
OVERVIEW
Activities for setting up the Max Bell site, requires physical ability to lift and carry.
Activities for packing and removing festival equipment, requires physical ability. Transport and unloading of festival supplies, requires physical ability.
DUTIES
- set up of tents, canopies and small movable structures
- set up of tables, and chairs for both inside and outside vendor areas
- set up of all special signage, decorative materials, displays, lanterns and special lighting
- Calgary Japanese Community Association center (Friday time to be determined) - 6-10 people
- loading of all equipment for transport to the Max Bell Centre
- dismantling tents, canopies and movable structures
- tables and chairs stacked for pick up by supplier
- dismantling of all special signage, decorative materials, displays, lanterns and special lighting
- site clean-up
- transport and unloading of all festival supplies
SHIFTS
tbd
NOTES
Physical ability to lift 10 to 20 lbs required
VENDOR MANAGEMENT
OVERVIEW
Researching new vendors, contacting previous and new vendors, reviewing Vendor Contract, securing vendor spots, ensuring vendor needs are met.
DUTIES
Contact and meet vendors, review contracts, manage vendor needs
SHIFTS
Fri, Sat: During Event
NOTES
Contact previous and new vendors, manage vendor spaces
VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT
OVERVIEW
Assist in PreFestival Volunteer preparations, Festival Volunteer Desk setup/takedown, Volunteer/Entertainment Check ins, provide general information support to the volunteers, organizing/helping with pizza event and distribution of Volunteer refreshments
DUTIES
PreFestival Preparations(T-shirt distributions, organizing Lanyards etc), Volunteer Check-ins on Festival Days, Set up and Take down of Festival Volunteer Center, provide general support to volunteers, Distributing refreshments at the Volunteer Meal Centre which also will involves its own setup and takedown
SHIFTS
Friday Set-Up and Check-In: 11:30am-6:00pm, Friday Evening Check-In: 4:30-8:30pm, Saturday morning: 6:45am-1:00pm, 1:00-7:00pm or until cleanup and volunteer wrap up is complete. Refreshment distribution shifts TBD for both festival days
NOTES
Flexible, Fast paced at check-in times and distribution, direct interaction with volunteers, organize pizza event
Volunteer Application Form
Omatsuri communicates primarily through email. Please check your email regularly and add omatsuri.volunteer@calgaryjca.com on your safe senders list as we have had occurrences where our emails were flagged as spam.
If you have any questions or concerns please send us an email to Omatsuri.Volunteer@calgaryjca.com
OMATSURI – Media
OMATSURI on the Net
No Japanglish this Friday!
Next Taste of Japan is curry night!
🌸 Volunteer at Omatsuri – Calgary Japanese Festival! 🎉 Join us on July 18-19 at Max Bell Centre and dive into the vibrant Japanese culture.
Join us for Pokémon Trade and Play Day! 🎉🔥
❗️LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE❗️
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Calgary Japanese Festival "Omatsuri"“Omatsuri” is the Japanese term for a “traditional festival”.
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Inquiries
Media, advertisers and general inquiries please contact us at: Omatsuri.Main@calgaryjca.com
OMATSURI – Vendors
To enhance your festival experience, we offer a diverse marketplace where you can explore a variety of businesses offering unique Japanese-related merchandise and services. From delectable food to exquisite handcrafted items, gift items, clothing, and more, our marketplace proudly showcases a range of offerings. We encourage you to support these exceptional businesses, as your patronage not only benefits you but also contributes to the sustainability of the organizations that generously support us.
Vendor Map
Indoor Market
| 40 – AKB PoP 41 – Art Cards by Valerie 42 – Asa Komono 43 – Atelier Nekozuki 44 – Beauty Secrets of Japan 45 – Beni Japanese Stationery Online Shop 47 – Calgary Buddhist Temple 48 – Chichi Kimono 49 – Comic-Kazi 50 – Grace Gifts 51 – HK Collectibles 52 – Indomie Canada 53 – Japan Ota Plus 54 – Japanese School 55 – Kawaya Miso 56 – Kimochi Collective 57 – Knifewear 58 – Lothlenan 59 – Lunarly Art 60 – Matsu Kaze Tea 61 – Milly& Vay 61 – Milly & Vay 62 – Oomono Japan Living 63 – Owl Factory 64 – Rose Noda / Rose Petals of SiStar Circle 65 – Sew Fetching 66 – Siamurai Apparel 67 – Smirking Cat 68 – Stone & Earth 69 – Strawberry Boots 70 – Sun Life 71 – Umi Nail Studio YYC 72 – VietCan Books 73 – Wa-Japanese Fabric Creation 74 – Yamnuska Mountain Tours 75 – Nanao Kimono 76 – Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden |
Community & Cultural Groups
| 15 – Artist Alley 18 – Calgary GO Club 19 – Calgary Japanese Community Association 20 – Canadian Blood Services 21 – Consulate-General of Japan 22 – Crossover Japanese Church of Calgary 23 – Japanese Sword Display 24 – Kimono Life Drawing 25 – Kyushu Cultural Display 26 – Legacy Project 27 – Otafest 28 – Sogetsu Ikebana Display |
Artist Alley
| 15 – Jyhnii Art 15 – Tyler Sharpe |
Outdoor Market
|
29 – Appopi |
OMATSURI – Partners & Sponsors
Partners and Sponsors will be listed here as soon as they are confirmed by our committee, please check back often and support the amazing businesses who support us!
Community Partner
 | Niantic, Inc. |
 | Willow Park Wines & Spirits |
 | Showpass |
 | Otafest |
 | City of Calgary |
Tokyo (Gold Sponsors)
 | Satsuki |
 | Superior Propane |
Osaka (Silver Sponsors)
 | Moose Family Kitchen |
 | Mami-Eishun Japanese Calligraphy |
 | Sakegami |
 | Alberta EFILE Inc. |
Nagoya (Bronze Sponsors)
 | J Capital Realty |
 | Uncle Stanley Cheesecake |
 | Kikkoman |
Interested in becoming a sponsor?
Our annual festival brings members of all communities together for two days to celebrate and share Japanese traditions and culture. While an event like this requires the time and effort of its many volunteers, we also rely upon sponsors to provide financial assistance to bring it all together.
Since the beginning of the Festival in 2011, we have seen this event continue to grow in size from 1,200 attendees to the over 6,000 people who joined us in 2023. We couldn’t have done it without the generous support of our incredible sponsors! We are anxiously looking forward to even greater success at this year’s “Omatsuri”, which will be held in August and hope we can count on your support.
This a wonderful opportunity to give back to the local community while exposing your brand to our attendees, friends and volunteers. Our Festival appeals to people of all ages & backgrounds as well as the various media outlets/mediums looking to cover community events such as ours.
If you are interested in sponsoring this terrific community event or would like additional information, please contact us at Omatsuri.Main@calgaryjca.com
OMATSURI – Food
By far the most popular attraction at our Annual Festival is the “FOOD”!
Every year people flock to “OMATSURI” by the thousands in search of authentic and delicious Japanese cuisine. Come join us in August and sample some of our tasty offerings.
Map
2024 Sake and Beer Fest
Brought to you by Sakegami and Hitachino Nest Beer
| 01 – Sakegami Premium Sake Importer |
 | 01 – Sake Kaiun Premium Sake Clean, crisp and dry finish with fruity nose. Sake Competition Japan 2023, Super premium category, 2nd place |
 | 02 – Beer OL’ Beautiful |
2024 Food Vendors (Friday & Saturday)
 | 08 – Sweet Rice |
 | 04 – Pablo Cheese Tart |
 | 14 – GRETA Bar Food Truck |
 | 12 – Uzu Ice Cream |
 | 05 – Fuwa Fuwa |
 | 03 – Ke Charcoal Grill |
 | 03 – Tokyo Street Market |
 | 06 – Foster’s Bakery |
Friday (August 9th) Only Vendors
 | 11 – Shiki Menya |
Saturday (August 10th) Only Vendors
Inquiry
Please email to Omatsuri.FoodVendors@calgaryjca.com if you have any questions.
OMATSURI – Kids’ Zone
One of the more popular areas of our Festival is our Kids’ Zone. Bring the kids to explore Japanese Culture by playing some traditional games, shopping for some cool toys, and enjoying some terrific food.
Traditional Japanese Festival Games
- Goldfish scoop (kingyo sukui) – use a scoop made of thin dissolving paper and see how many rubber toys you can scoop out of the water before the paper rips.
- Yo-yo balloon fishing (yoyo fuusen tsuri) – use a hook to fish out water balloons from the water, but be careful because the fish line is made of dissolving paper.
- Target shooting (shateki) – Try and hit the target using a toy gun and win prizes.
- Ring toss (wanage) – Toss the ring and capture as many prizes as you can.
Shop
Shop for Omatsuri-themed toys like ninja swords, bamboo toys, cartoon character masks, round fans, and more.
Coloring / Activity Book
(click on the image below to download a copy in .pdf format)
OMATSURI – Entertainment
One of the highlights of OMATSURI has always been the wonderful variety of Japanese performance arts and martial arts demonstrations. This year, we are excited to showcase the rich Japanese heritage and traditions by promoting many talented performers.
2024 will see the return of the Cultural Stage, highlighting demonstrations of the many traditional Japanese arts.
We hope you will join us for a great day and some wonderful entertainment.
Friday, August 9 – 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
| Time | Outdoor Stage | Indoor Cultural Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 PM | J-Pop Dance Off (Competition with prizes) Bon Dance Off (Midnight Taiko & Joanne Planidin) Aza Nabuko (Singer / Songwriter) | Cosplay Masquerade (Competition with prizes in collaboration with Otafest) |
Saturday, August 10 – 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
| Time | Outdoor Stage | Indoor Cultural Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 AM | 10:05 AM – Calgary Kendo Club 10:35 AM – Himawari Dancers 10:50 AM – Kaede Cultural Society of Calgary, Kaede no kai | 10:00 AM – Koto Performance (Misue Asai-Kaufman & Kanako Kondo) 10:30 AM – Maharlika Divas Dance Group Philippines (Maharlika Women’s Association) |
| 11:00 AM | 11:05 AM – HIBIKIYA 11:40 AM – Omikoshi Parade 1 with Kan’nushi Jay of Usagi Jinja shrine | 11:00 AM – Ken-Shibu Performance Dancing (Yumiko Ito) 11:15 AM – Bonseki Sand Art Demonstration (Kynan Ono) |
| 12:00 PM | 12:00 PM – OPENING CEREMONY 12:30 PM – Ka Muso Kai 12:55 PM – Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge & Area Minyo Dancers | 12:00 PM – OPENING CEREMONY : Outdoor stage 12:30 PM – Fake Samurai’z (Seiji Tanaka & Hitoshi Sugiyama) |
| 1:00 PM | 1:10 PM – Shin Ken Kai Iaido Dojo 1:40 PM – Ina Harris 1:55 PM – Omikoshi Parade 2 with Kan’nushi Jay of Usagi Jinja shrine | 1:15 PM – Sogetsu Ikebana Floral Demonstration (Keiko Otsuki & Students) |
| 2:00 PM | 2:15 PM – Fake Samurai’z 2:45 PM – Yayoi Woods 2:55 PM – Seiyu Karate | 2:00 PM – Churakaji Okinawa Sanshin (Okinawan Sanshin Players) 2:30 PM – JKA Karate Do Demonstration (Lilia Boaghi & Students) |
| 3:00 PM | 3:25 PM – YOSOCA – Yosakoi Soran Calgary 3:50 PM – Kurara | 3:00 PM – Bonseki Sand Art Demonstration (Kynan Ono) 3:45 PM – Kaede No Kai (Kaede Society of Calgary) |
| 4:00 PM | 4:05 PM – Midnight Taiko Kai 4:35 PM – Drum with Midnight Taiko 4:55 PM – CLOSING REMARKS | 4:55 PM – CLOSING REMARKS : Outdoor stage |
| All DAY | Ikebana Display ongoing all day (Keiko Otsuki & Students) |
Cosplay Masquerade, in collaboration with Otafest
Friday Night Market (August 9), at the Indoor Stage (inside the Max Bell Arena)
Registration from 7:00-7:45pm
Stage show starting at 8:00pm
Show us your best cosplay character! You’ll get a chance to walk on stage, strike two poses, and answer questions about your character. Please arrive early to register, as spots are limited!
Guest Judges: Kristy North Peigan, Austyn Larkam and Jhenne Nunes!
Prizes to be awarded by guest judge panel.
Picture Perfect Cosplay Contest, in collaboration with Otafest
Saturday (August 10), next to the Indoor Cultural Stage (inside the Max Bell Arena)
Registration/photos taken from 10am-noon
Voting from noon-4pm
We’ll take your cosplay photo and display it in our slideshow, and let the festival attendees decide on their favourite!
Prizes to be awarded by audience vote.
**Please note: your cosplay must be family-friendly, and no real weapons will be allowed on festival grounds.
Omatsuri History 2011
The CJCA and the Calgary Buddhist Church hosted the first outdoor “Omatsuri” festival on August 27th at Bridgeland-Riverside Community Centre. It was organized in very traditional Japanese way that included demonstrations of martial arts such as Karate, Kendo and Aikido; as well as cultural performances of Taiko, Koto and Bon-Odori. We also had Kintaro (Golden Boy) and Momotaro (Peach Boy) folktale performances for children.
The fried noodle, dharma dogs, squids, frozen fruits and drinks were all sold out by the end of the day. Handcrafted Japanese items, children’s games and gifts, some of them were shipped directly from Japan were very popular among visitors. Many young people enjoyed sumo-wrestling matches in inflated costumes. People also enjoyed the kimono fashion contest on the stage. We finished the day with dancing traditional bon-odori. It was a beautiful summer day.
This was the first outdoor “Omatsuri” here in Calgary and the responses were just overwhelming. We had, in our rough estimation, over 1,200 people, many of them wearing kimono, taking part in it. The organizers thank all of you who participated in it. You made the day!!
This was a joint effort of many volunteers from the CJCA, the Calgary Buddhist Church, NJCA, Calgary Gospel Church, Kotobuki Senior’s club, Kaede dance club, Lethbridge dancers, Midnight Taiko club, Calgary Aikikai, Hiro’s Judo Club, Mizue Asai-Kaufmann’s koto, Calgary Kendo Club, CJCA Renshikan Karate Club and Consulate-General of Japan in Calgary. Also, the Bridgeland community’s support was greatly appreciated.
The organizers also would like to thank the City of Calgary, Bridges Market Inc., Chris Burylo, Pinnacle Equities Ltd., Pizza Van Go Inc., Roma Catering Services Ltd. and Vintage Roots Lifestyle Inc. for their financial contributions. The organizing committee will be meeting soon to plan the next year’s event.
Taken from the CJCA December 2011 Newsletter – Written by Ted Wada.
Omatsuri History 2012
The 2012 Omatsuri Festival proved to be a phenomenal success in showcasing Japanese culture. We were once again blessed with beautiful weather, a bigger variety of outdoor performances, indoor demonstrations, a wider selection of vendors, a more festive look complete with chochins and a spectacular hand-crafted omikoshi, as well as a greater selection of food this year. There was no simple way to accurately count the total attendance but a reasonable estimate may be around 2,500 attendees. This year we had the added exposure of media presence with Shaw Cable.
The variety of food was doubled this year and we managed to sell out by 2 PM. We were faced with the challenge of having to serve around 1,500 meals within about a 2-hour time span. This year’s outdoor program featured greetings from the Consul General of Japan and Mayor Nenshi’s office, a play sponsored by the Calgary Gospel Church, a koto performance by Mizue Kaufman, a kimono contest, martial arts demonstrations by Calgary Aikikai, Hiro’s Judo Club, Calgary Kendo Club and Renshinkai Karate Club. Japanese odori was led by the Kotobuki Odori group and Kaede dancers. This year, we added an indoor program which featured the Japanese Tea Ceremony by Dale Rosetti, a Sogetsu Ikebana Study Group display with sensei Keiko Otsuki, and origami demonstration by Yumiko Shukuda.
Additionally there were yukatas from Japan, hand-made crafts by the Kotobuki seniors and children’s games and toys for sale.
The Omatsuri Festival would not have been possible without the extensive efforts of the planning committee, and the 150 volunteers who donated their time. Additionally the support of local sponsors listed provided a tremendous service to all who attended this year’s festival: Japan Foundation, ATCO Gas, Superior Propane, Treadz Auto Group, Canon Canada Inc., City Fish, Foster’s Bakery and Amandine Bakery.
Next year’s Omatsuri Festival promises to be even better, with the committee’s recommendations for improvement. We hope to see you all then.
Taken from the CJCA December 2012 Newsletter – Written by Ted Wada
Omatsuri History 2013
We would like to congratulate the 2013 Omatsuri committee members and all the leaders who dedicated their tireless efforts over the past six months to organize this wonderful event. Without a doubt, this was the largest and most successful festival so far. The Bridgeland Community Centre was as packed as rush hour in a Tokyo subway. Volunteers are our most important resource for the festival, and this year over 240 individuals and teams came to assist with every aspect of the festival. We truly thank all of the volunteers for their industrious efforts. We roughly counted about 4000 attendees and volunteers.
Once again, our guests were able to appreciate samples of the Japanese cuisine. Most of the food was sold out by the late afternoon. The presence of the Shogun Food Truck was also a popular selection for festival goers. The entertainment was well planned and orchestrated throughout the day. The Omikoshi parade, the traditional dances, the martial arts demonstrations, the Midnight Taiko group and a live Jrock band kept the crowd well entertained. We would like to extend a special appreciation to the bon odori performers from Lethbridge who regaled us with their talent and spectacular kimonos. Indoor spaces were also at capacity with vendor tables and cultural demonstrations such as the Tea Ceremony, Calligraphy and Ikebana. The crafts, gifts and children’s games areas were fun filled areas for young families and children. Their tents were filled with high energy, fun and laughter all day long.
We very much appreciated the generous financial assistance from the Japan Foundation of Toronto and the Alberta Japanese Businessmen Association. Additionally, there were numerous contributions of goods, services and rentals from local businesses. Their support truly encourages us to continue with this festival on an annual basis.
The mission of the Omatsuri is to showcase Japanese culture and harmony. These can only be achieved through community support and participation. We witnessed amazing community spirit on August 17th, 2013! See you next year!
Taken from the CJCA December 2013 Newsletter – Written by Ted Wada
Omatsuri History 2014
August marked the 4th Annual Omatsuri Festival. The event, once again, found favour with Mother Nature as it turned out to be another beautiful summer day. Some 4000 + Calgarians came through the gates to take in the exhibits, watch the demonstrations, eat the food and experience all things Japanese.
Congratulations to the committee chair – Ted Wada and his dedicated committee for another tremendously successful event. Thank you to all of our fabulous sponsors and to all of the individuals, groups and businesses that supported the event either monetarily; or by renting a table; or by participating with a special exhibit. Thank you to all of the performers who entertained the crowd so masterfully. Thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers, for without them the festival just couldn’t happen.
This festival is growing by leaps and bounds and with the move to the new site at Bowness Community Centre we have the ability to accommodate growth for the coming years. The event is truly an all-encompassing community event where all who have an interest in the Japanese culture can come together within the confines of one venue to help build a better understanding of the Japanese Canadian community. If you missed it, make sure you mark your calendar for next year.
Taken from the CJCA December 2014 Newsletter – Written by Joanne Terakita Planidin
Omatsuri History 2015
Omatsuri 2015 – by far the most memorable and challenging one since its inception. I can’t be more proud of the committee members and all the volunteers for rising to such a challenging occasion. Because of the inclement weather, we moved all the outdoor operations to the limited indoor space. Everyone in the food acted quickly and found space where there was little and improvised with whatever we had available. The admission and food ticket sales groups adjusted to the situation shortly. The outdoor entertainment and the indoor cultural demonstration worked closely together to salvage as much as they could and in the end, we had an amazing entertainment as well. That was the teamwork at its best.
Feeding volunteers became an overwhelming task, squeezing the operation tightly at the northeast corner where there was no space. The outdoor team was wet to the bones trying to save canopies from further rain damages, while trying to set up tables, chairs, cooking area etc. in hope the weather might eventually clear up. The Bowness management provided an extra room across a hall way and also allowed the kid’s corner to set up tables in a hallway. The community table folks all tried to find their own solutions in this chaos and most of them found their corners somewhere where there was no space.
In spite of the weather, there was little impact on the attendance compared to that of last year, pushing close to 5000. All the food was sold out and the vendors did very well with their sales also. In the end, we all should be proud of our achievement, the teamwork and totally selfless commitments that we made earlier in the year to make the Omatsuri happen in this city. Seeing the visitors enjoying the Japanese culture that we presented was very rewarding!
We received a congratulatory letter from the Consul-General of Japan Ryosaku Tamura that I would like to share with everyone involved.
Taken from the CJCA December 2015 Newsletter – Written by Ted Wada
In February of 2016, the Omatsuri committee was one of the several recipients of the Japanese Consul-General Ryosaku Tamura’s commendation. The committee’s outstanding contribution to the mutual understanding and friendship between Canada and Japan through the Omatsuri festival for the last 5 years was recognized by the Consul-General. A commendation ceremony was held on Feb 4th, 2016 at his residence, which the committee members attended and enjoyed a lovely evening.
Consulate-General of Japan in Calgary Article
Omatsuri History 2016
KA-N-PA-I to all the volunteers!
Huge congratulations to the Omatsuri committee!
2016 and all the volunteers who joined forces to make the Omatsuri 2016 such a remarkable success. It was an amazing festival the weather was perfect, the venue was great and it was truly an exciting event. The stage entertainment and cultural demonstrations were well run. The martial art and blacksmith demonstrations were surrounded by a large crowd all day. The vendor tables were well attended, the foods were excellent, the admission and the food ticket sale were well managed. The beer garden was very popular and the kid’s corner was a full of children. Despite a sudden unexpected change of venue in mid April, the committee overcame many obstacles with creative ideas and enthusiasm to work with this new venue. The result was a huge increase in attendance over that of last year.
I can’t name all 400 plus volunteers here but please know that your volunteer spirits were truly appreciated. Many of you worked double shifts. Some of you were in the hot sun and the heated grills all day. Every task that you performed was very important and lead to the success of the Omatsuri. It also was so great to see the members from CJCA, NJCA, Kotobuki, Kaede, the Calgary Buddhist Temple, Calgary Gospel Church, Consul-General of Japan in Calgary, JETAA (JET Programme Alumni Association), GPI Osaka Boys and many others working together, side by side on this day for the common goals.
The City of Calgary, a building inspector, a food inspector and a fire department all inspected us and provided useful suggestions and positive nods for our operations. The Max Bell Centre management and staff were always ready to give us helping hands whenever we needed them. We also received increased sponsorship’s from the business community this year. We received cash and various in kind donations and we appreciated each and every one of the generous donations. They go a long way in making ends meet. Before long, the committee will start planning for the Omatsuri 2017.
Mark August 12, 2017 on your calendar. There are still many areas that need improvements. Please lend hands and volunteer, for together, we can make the Omatsuri 2017 another successful event for this community of ours. We are looking forward to working with you again soon!
Taken from the CJCA December 2016 Newsletter
– Written by Ted Wada, Event Chairperson
Omatsuri History 2018
YOU DID IT AGAIN!! Congratulations and Thank You to the Omatsuri Volunteers. The Omatsuri-2018 was, in my opinion, the best organized festival ever. Right from the start, the ground was well designed, the entertainments outdoor offered so much variety, there were hardly any empty seats available most of the day. The cultural demonstrations indoor mixed the cultural demo and entertainment well and also offered quite a variety. The market was ever expanding – we added a few stores including auto dealers outdoor. The admission and the food ticket areas were well run by those experienced volunteers. The Sakefest was introduced for the first time this year that directly involved the sake distributors -the great collaboration. All the food, drinks and sweets were outsourced this year for the first time and took a huge load off the Omatsuri cooking team and allowed the local restaurants to be involved.
Outdoor improvement included the table return and ecological handling of waste. The indoor team ran their part very well also. The registration desk and happi coat checkout areas experienced no hitch -another areas run by experienced volunteers. We received more public attention this year thanks to the media committee, the website committee, the poster and card distribution by the members and the support from the city of Calgary and the Max Bell staff as well as from the office of Consul General of Japan in Calgary. We truly appreciate the support from the local businesses -financial, in-kind and in other forms which helped a long way in making ends meet. Lastly and the most importantly, it was you the few hundred volunteers and the entertainers who made the Omatsuri one of the best events in Calgary. Special “Thank you” goes to the Omatsuri Committee who worked tirelessly for the past six months and, some of whom worked a year around, The committee members have already committed to coming back for the Omatsuri 2019 on August 10th,2019. I would surely like to see all of you again and celebrate the Japanese culture and the community harmony for this great city of ours. Domo Arigato Gozaimasu! Thank you very much!
Taken from the CJCA December 2018 Newsletter
– Written by Ted Wada, Event Chairperson
Credit: Ryan Logan
Credit: pnieckar
Omatsuri History 2019
Congratulations everyone – it was another very successful Omatsuri. The crowd was fantastic, the weather stayed dry all day (somebody up there must have heard our prayers), the food, the entertainment, the cultural demonstrations, kid’s corner and the market were just amazing, probably the best cultural festival in the city!
We had amazingly dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event the best in the city. Some of you were the committee members who’d been at it since the beginning of the year, some of you were lending hands in set-up and take down and many others were running the activities on the special day. It takes all of you, over 450 strong with various backgrounds and ethnicities to make the event such an authentically cultural event in our city. The Japanese community is very blessed to have volunteers like you to have made it happen again for another year. Truly, you have earned bragging rights!
We received much needed financial support from the city of Calgary and several businesses and individuals as well as various support in-kind, including WestJet and Air Canada that helped make ends meet. Much appreciated. I, like many of you, cherish the memory of being a part of this very special event. Someday down the road, when we take a break from daily chores, we may reminisce on the days when we were a significant part of Calgary’s Omatsuri and how people in Calgary enjoyed the Japanese culture – ate, watched, laughed, amazed, admired and appreciated.
In Japan, the Omatsuri is an entire community event. Families, friends, neighbours, and local businesses rise to this occasion and celebrate being alive, well and happy, and all the good things about being a part of the community. Next year- the year 2020 will be the 10th anniversary year of the Omatsuri and the committee will be working hard to bring in a very special anniversary event. I’m looking forward to working with you again. Mark August 8, 2020 on your day timer.
Omatsuri photos by Pat and Paul Jetté and Video by Ryan Logan are up on our website: www.calgaryjca.com There are many volunteer positions available for the Omatsuri-2020. Be a part of this exciting event and be a part of the community!
Thank you – Arigato!
Taken from the CJCA November 2019 Newsletter
– Written by Ted Wada, Event Chairperson
Video credit by Ryan Logan
Omatsuri History 2021
A Taste of Omatsuri
When we started, we weren’t exactly sure what an online, virtual “taste” or sampling of the in-person Calgary Japanese Festival Omatsuri and a celebration of Japanese heritage & culture would look like. A new committee came together and after meetings and brainstorming of ideas, inventive ways of engaging and keeping Omatsuri alive in people’s hearts and minds started to form. Things evolved and in the end, Daily Special Features leading up to a Taste, a Photo Contest, a Silent Auction, and the final Taste of Omatsuri video premiered on August 14th. CJCA (see below) and the organizing committee are quite pleased with the end results.
Thanks to wonderful volunteers, extraordinary performers, unique martial artists, and the Japanese community, A Taste of Omatsuri was a success! A new Calgary Ondo/Bon-odori along with the incredible feature performance by Yukichi Hattori, the H/W School of Ballet students, and Midnight Taiko Kai were just two of the highlights. We received financial support from several businesses and individuals which all helped make A Taste of Omatsuri financially feasible. Fundraising by having an online Silent Auction of donated items added to the excitement. We were very fortunate!
A Taste of Omatsuri would not have been possible without a dedicated, core group of people – the Omatsuri Organizing Committee. Deep appreciation to Gene Yamada, Yasuhiro Washiyama, Tomo Honda, Lucia Silman, Cheryl Takaoka, Noah Richardson, Roger Teshima, Maureen Coleman, and Carolyn Terakita. In addition, special recognition to Mai Mulhern, Cheryl McDonald, Katy Takaoka, Doug Hironaka, and the CJCA newsletter team who all contributed to the overall success of the event.
Thank you to everyone who has provided valuable feedback and suggestions since the airing of A Taste of Omatsuri. One very kind compliment received was: “Congratulations! You call it “a taste” of Omatsuri but it definitely felt like a full-course meal!” Another comment from an entertainment performer: “An opportunity to watch everyone’s performance and it was amazing. As a performer, sometimes I don’t have a chance to watch everyone else’s performance because I’m busy preparing for my own. So this was actually very nice to be able to see. Thank you so much.” A number of past Omatsuri volunteers have voiced a similar sentiment as they don’t always get to see what is going on during their shift at Omatsuri. It was great that this virtual showing was able to reach so many people as well as gave everyone a chance to enjoy the event from the comfort of their own home.
The online Taste of Omatsuri was definitely a great learning experience and we hope we’ve done the community proud. Mark your calendars for next year’s in-person Calgary Japanese Omatsuri for Saturday, August 13, 2022 – we hope to see you there or better yet, consider volunteering and truly being part of this sensational event!
Submitted by: Susan Huntley, A Taste of Omatsuri 2021 Chairperson
Omatsuri History 2022
Should we do it, or not?
Should we run a live, in-person event, or online? These were the questions that plagued the Omatsuri committee (please excuse the pun.) Was it responsible? Would the next Covid variant be even more dangerous than the last one? Was it the right thing to do? Watching the hospital statistics didn’t look very promising – Covid was still going strong. Usually, planning for Omatsuri starts in September of the previous year, but with uncertainty looming, the decision to go for it wasn’t made until well into May. With all these questions in mind, the committee got things under way. In record time, and with huge investment from all the volunteers (and I mean a lot of volunteers who stepped up to make it happen), Omatsuri 2022 came to be.
Luckily, many members of the previous Omatsuri organizational committee came back on board, and the former Omatsuri Chair, Ted Wada, prepared a huge “bible” of planning material for the festival. This, in addition to all the volunteers, made it possible to pull off Omatsuri in such a truncated timeline. Supply chain issues and lack of staff made it incredibly difficult for many of our regular sponsors, participating suppliers, exhibitors, and performers to be part of this past year’s Japanese Festival, but despite the challenges, some of our regulars were able to take part in the 2022 event. We are so grateful for those that could participate this year and hope that others will be in a position to join the festivities again next year.
Our team of Omatsuri volunteers were amazing, whether they were directing parking, helping with the stage, setting up the venue, or cleaning up. There were too many important contributions from volunteers to be listed here, and every volunteer was critical in making the festival a huge success. The 2022 event also saw several new innovations due to Covid, such as tap payment, venue set up, improved volunteer registration and tracking, and a more in-depth utilization of social media and social influencers.
Children’s attendance was free this year, and our best estimates show about 5 to 6 thousand Calgarians came out to enjoy the 2022 Japanese Festival Omatsuri. Throughout the day, I talked with several people who had come out – everyone told me they’d had a great time and enjoyed the stage performances, indoor market, activities, displays, and food and beverage vendors. That’s a pretty sure sign of success, and a big win for everyone.
The outdoor food vendors were hopping busy all day, and Kinjo and Ke’s restaurant stands had to restock several times throughout the day (I think I saw Kinjo’s team restock 4 or 5 times!) Sake and beer sold out completely, as did many of the other food vendors. Nobody knew what to expect or how much food to prepare, but the amount of support the event received from Calgarians was a wonderful surprise.
Around the midpoint of the day, our contact with the City of Calgary Event Services came by to see how everything was going. I had a chance to sit down with her in the food court area outside to chat. She nodded her head while looking around and said how great the turnout was and how impressed she was with the diversity of our volunteers – diversity in age, gender and ethnicity. The Japanese Festival was truly blessed to have such a great group of people donate their time to make the event what it was.
CBC did an interview to promote the event, posters and road banners were placed, and many social media posts and streams helped get the word out. The day started with a long queue to get in, which remained steady all day. One thing that was great to see was how many people used public transit and the LRT station that was just a 3-minute walk from the venue. This really helped with parking, as did the volunteers who helped manage the traffic in and out of the parking lot.
The goal of the Omatsuri is to share Japanese culture with Calgarians. Seeing all the volunteers, partners, and participants (including Japanese Consul-General Uchida, who spent most of the day at the festival) was heart-warming.
Looking back at the 2022 Calgary Japanese Festival and remembering all the smiling faces in the crowd, I think we can mark the return of our in-person festival a success. Calgary is known around the country for its high volunteerism and it’s one of the things that makes our city such a great place to live. Our Omatsuri volunteers are no exception and without them there would be no festival. Thank you everyone who volunteered, thank you to all our sponsors and vendors, and thank you everyone who came out and visited the festival. We humbly look forward to working with and seeing everyone next August for the 2023 Calgary Japanese Festival Omatsuri.
Taken from the CJCA November 2022 Newsletter
– Written by Ken Richardson, Event Chairperson
If you were unable to join us for Omatsuri 2022 or would like to see the day through the eyes of our videographer and photographers – please check out the following link to the photo gallery and/or watch the video to see some of the highlights of this year’s event.
2022 Omatsuri Photo Gallery
** Photos courtesy of Pat and Paul Jette
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